inhibit
- to restrain, hinder, arrest, or check (an action, impulse, etc.).
- to prohibit; forbid.
- Psychology. to consciously or unconsciously suppress or restrain (psychologically or sociologically unacceptable behavior).
- Chemistry. to decrease the rate of action of or stop (a chemical reaction).
Origin of inhibit
Synonyms for inhibit
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for inhibiting
hinder, obstruct, discourage, prohibit, forbid, suppress, outlaw, stymie, restrain, curb, impede, constrain, hog-tie, cramp, bar, avert, withhold, faze, bit, stopExamples from the Web for inhibiting
Contemporary Examples of inhibiting
The high price of the Tesla Model S—about $60,000—is inhibiting more widespread adoption.
Uncertainty over the TPC's future is inhibiting new investment.
Historical Examples of inhibiting
Suppose the orthodoxies and superstitions succeed in inhibiting me.
A Far Country, CompleteWinston Churchill
This cause he seems to find in the inhibiting effects of extreme temperatures upon development.
The Organism as a WholeJacques Loeb
Those that act directly upon the bacteria in milk, restraining or inhibiting their development.
Outlines of Dairy Bacteriology, 8th editionH. L. Russell
The nervous shock had thrown the stomach out of order, inhibiting the secretion of gastric juice.
Nervous Breakdowns and How to Avoid ThemCharles David Musgrove
Evolution has taken place through the steady loss of inhibiting factors.
A Critique of the Theory of EvolutionThomas Hunt Morgan
inhibit
- to restrain or hinder (an impulse, a desire, etc)
- to prohibit; forbid
- to stop, prevent, or decrease the rate of (a chemical reaction)
- electronics
- to prevent the occurrence of (a particular signal) in a circuit
- to prevent the performance of (a particular operation)
Word Origin for inhibit
Word Origin and History for inhibiting
inhibit
early 15c., "to forbid, prohibit," back-formation from inhibition or else from Latin inhibitus, past participle of inhibere "to hold in, hold back, keep back" (see inhibition). Psychological sense (1876) is from earlier, softened meaning of "restrain, check, hinder" (1530s). Related: Inhibited; inhibiting.
inhibit
(ĭn-hĭb′ĭt)- To hold back; restrain.
- To suppress or restrain a behavioral process, an impulse, or a desire consciously or unconsciously.
- To prevent or decrease the rate of a chemical reaction.
- To decrease, limit, or block the action or function of something in the body, as an enzyme or organ.