Definition of INHIBIT (original) (raw)

: to prohibit from doing something

: to discourage from free or spontaneous activity especially through the operation of inner psychological or external social constraints

Synonyms

Choose the Right Synonym for inhibit

forbid, prohibit, interdict, inhibit mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done.

forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.

smoking is forbidden in the building

prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.

prohibited the sale of liquor

interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.

practices interdicted by the church

inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation.

conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

Examples of inhibit in a Sentence

You shouldn't allow fear of failure to inhibit you. He was inhibited by modesty. Fear can inhibit people from expressing their opinions. drugs that are used to inhibit infection Strict laws are inhibiting economic growth.

Recent Examples on the Web

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Natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes can obviously inhibit all manner of production that might slow global cooperation in production or the arrival of a crucial input in the creation of a market good. —John Tamny, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024 Supporters of the pact argued that failure to renew it would not only imperil government-to-government collaboration in vital areas such as climate change and public health, but also inhibit academic cooperation between the world’s two biggest economies. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 14 Dec. 2024 Training wheels can inhibit this process by teaching children to depend on external balance aids instead of their own bodies. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 29 Nov. 2024 For instance, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, work by inhibiting COX enzymes that promote inflammation. —Heather Margonari, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inhibit