inhibit

[ in-hib-it ]
See synonyms for: inhibitinhibitedinhibitinginhibits on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to restrain, hinder, arrest, or check (an action, impulse, etc.).

  2. to prohibit; forbid.

  1. Psychology. to consciously or unconsciously suppress or restrain (psychologically or sociologically unacceptable behavior).

  2. Chemistry. to decrease the rate of action of or stop (a chemical reaction).

Origin of inhibit

1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English inhibiten, from Latin inhibitus, past participle of inhibēre “to restrain,” equivalent to in- in-2 + -hibēre, combining form of habēre “to have, hold”

synonym study For inhibit

2. See forbid.

Other words for inhibit

Other words from inhibit

  • in·hib·it·a·ble, adjective
  • in·hib·i·to·ry [in-hib-i-tawr-ee], /ɪnˈhɪb ɪˌtɔr i/, in·hib·i·tive, adjective
  • o·ver·in·hib·it, verb (used with object)
  • un·in·hib·it·ing, adjective

Words Nearby inhibit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use inhibit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inhibit

inhibit

/ (ɪnˈhɪbɪt) /


verb-its, -iting or -ited (tr)
  1. to restrain or hinder (an impulse, a desire, etc)

  2. to prohibit; forbid

  1. to stop, prevent, or decrease the rate of (a chemical reaction)

  2. electronics

    • to prevent the occurrence of (a particular signal) in a circuit

    • to prevent the performance of (a particular operation)

Origin of inhibit

1
C15: from Latin inhibēre to restrain, from in- ² + habēre to have

Derived forms of inhibit

  • inhibitable, adjective
  • inhibitive or inhibitory, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012