inhibition

[ in-i-bish-uhn, in-hi- ]

/ ˌɪn ɪˈbɪʃ ən, ˌɪn hɪ- /

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See synonyms for inhibition on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act of inhibiting.

the state of being inhibited.

something that inhibits; constraint.

Psychology.

the blocking or holding back of one psychological process by another.
inappropriate conscious or unconscious restraint or suppression of behavior, as sexual behavior, often due to guilt or fear produced by past punishment, or sometimes considered a dispositional trait.

Physiology.

a restraining, arresting, or checking of the action of an organ or cell.
the reduction of a reflex or other activity as the result of an antagonistic stimulation.
a state created at synapses making them less excitable by other sources of stimulation.

Chemistry. a stoppage or decrease in the rate of action of a chemical reaction.

English Ecclesiastical Law. an order, especially from a bishop, suspending a priest or an incumbent from the performance of duties.

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Origin of inhibition

1350–1400; Middle English inhibicio(u)n<Latin inhibitiōn- (stem of inhibitiō). See inhibit, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM inhibition

in·ter·in·hi·bi·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use inhibition in a sentence

When I first arrived at Duke, hooking up with a stranger seemed like a way to shed my inhibitions.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating|Ellie Schaack|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As the balloons and electricity scared us, inhibitions were naturally lowered and I saw the flirtation begin.
All the Grown-Up Hipsters Playing Kids’ Games|Daniel Genis|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Privately, he had huge inhibitions about hustling, but he fought them down and sweated.
What It Was Like to Watch the Beatles Become the Beatles—Nik Cohn Remembers|Nik Cohn|February 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Humor uncaps our inhibitions, unleashes our energies, seals friendships, patches hurts.
The Obligation to be Interesting: James Wolcott’s “Critical Mass”|William Giraldi|October 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST

But after his re-election, he will suffer from no such electoral inhibitions.
The Coming War|Benny Morris|July 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Just as—ah—well—I must say that a number of tourists have a tendency to chuck their inhibitions during the rituals.
The Mating of the Moons|Kenneth O'Hara
Instantaneous sympathy and the lack of poisonous inhibitions are the outstanding emotional assets of this type.
How to Analyze People on Sight|Elsie Lincoln Benedict and Ralph Paine Benedict
I only read in Scripture of two inhibitions—boxing and polygamy.
Quips and Quiddities|William Davenport Adams
Gerda and Gerda's friends knew no inhibitions of speech or thought.
Dangerous Ages|Rose Macaulay
When these inhibitions are partly or entirely removed the secondary sexual characters of the opposite sex may appear.
The Organism as a Whole|Jacques Loeb

British Dictionary definitions for inhibition

inhibition

/ (ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃən, ˌɪnhɪ-) /

noun

the act of inhibiting or the condition of being inhibited

psychol

a mental state or condition in which the varieties of expression and behaviour of an individual become restricted
the weakening of a learned response usually as a result of extinction or because of the presence of a distracting stimulus
(in psychoanalytical theory) the unconscious restraining of an impulseSee also repression

the process of stopping or retarding a chemical reaction

physiol the suppression of the function or action of an organ or part, as by stimulation of its nerve supply

Church of England an episcopal order suspending an incumbent

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

Medical definitions for inhibition

inhibition

[ ĭn′hə-bĭsh′ən, ĭn′ə- ]

The act of inhibiting or the state of being inhibited.

Something that restrains, blocks, or suppresses.

The conscious or unconscious restraint of a behavioral process, a desire, or an impulse.

Any of a variety of processes that are associated with the gradual attenuation, masking, and extinction of a previously conditioned response.

The condition in which or the process by which a reaction is inhibited.

The condition in which or the process by which an enzyme is inhibited.

Scientific definitions for inhibition

inhibition

[ ĭn′hə-bĭsh′ən ]

The blocking or limiting of the activity of an organ, tissue, or cell of the body, caused by the action of a nerve or neuron or by the release of a substance such as a hormone or neurotransmitter. Compare excitation.

Cultural definitions for inhibition

inhibition

A personal hindrance to activity or expression. For example, fear of contracting cancer might serve as an inhibition against smoking.

inhibition

Origin of inhibition

OTHER WORDS FROM inhibition

Words related to inhibition

How to use inhibition in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for inhibition

Medical definitions for inhibition

Scientific definitions for inhibition

Cultural definitions for inhibition