inhibitory

American  

[in-hib-i-tawr-ee] / ɪnˈhɪb ɪˌtɔr i /

Sometimes inhibitive

adjective

1. acting to restrain, hinder, arrest, check, or prohibit an action, impulse, etc..

   These substances are strongly inhibitory for the growth of mycoplasmas and some protozoa.

   Children with weak inhibitory and attentional resources may have great difficulty resisting the influence of marketing.

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Other Word Forms

• interinhibitive
  adjective
• noninhibitive
  adjective
• noninhibitory
  adjective
• subinhibitory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of inhibitory

First recorded in 1490–1500; inhibit ( def. ) + -ory ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inhibitory

By normalizing Grik4 gene activity in this region, they restored communication with inhibitory neurons in the centrolateral amygdala called regular firing neurons.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

Normal human consciousness is tied to inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025

The inferior frontal gyrus, key in inhibitory control, may play a crucial role in how adolescents regulate their engagement with rewarding stimuli such as social media.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2024

Through transcriptomic analysis, two distinct subpopulations of individuals with schizophrenia were identified, marked by the expression of specific excitatory and inhibitory neuronal cell states.

From Science Daily ● May 23, 2024

His view is that pains tend to preserve the mutism and amnesia, so that there are "inhibitory processes" causing the stupor, which prevent the patient from further suffering.

From Benign Stupors A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type by MacCurdy, John T. (John Thompson)