inhibitor

noun in·hib·i·tor \ in-ˈhi-bə-tər \

Definition of inhibitor

:one that inhibits: such as

a :an agent that slows or interferes with a chemical action

b :a substance that reduces or suppresses the activity of another substance (such as an enzyme)

Recent Examples of inhibitor from the Web

And although checkpoint inhibitors are off the shelf, with every patient getting the same drug, the other is customized to an individual.

— laurie mcginley, Alaska Dispatch News, "First gene therapy – ‘a true living drug’ – on the cusp of FDA approval," 13 July 2017
Several big biopharma players already have their own checkpoint inhibitors on the market (including Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Roche).

— Fortune, "Brainstorm Health Daily: July 6, 2017," 6 July 2017
Certain medications, like beta blockers, ACE receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers and diuretics, can exaggerate the body’s response to heat.

— charlotteobserver, "Boat owners, volunteers needed for July 22 Big Day at the Lake," 3 July 2017
That may include antibiotics, proton-pump inhibitors or corticosteroids.

— rita giordano, Philly.com, "Penn study finds deadly C. diff infections are on the rise," 3 July 2017
The second replication study looked at a 2011 Nature paper reporting that a compound called a BET inhibitor, which controls whether genes are activated—can stop a type of leukemia.

— jocelyn kaiser, Science | AAAS, "Cancer studies pass reproducibility test," 27 June 2017
The antidepressant Prozac, a selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (or SSRI), is one of the world's most widely used medications.

— los angeles times, OregonLive.com, "Could Prozac be a treatment for children with autism?," 22 June 2017
Traditional selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac can do the same thing, but that process could take months.

— rene chun, Los Angeles Magazine, "Inside the Los Angeles Clinic That Uses Ketamine to Treat Depression," 19 June 2017
Her discovery, a drug called an aromatase inhibitor, was initially met with skepticism.

— jaques kelly, latimes.com, "Angela Brodie, breast cancer research pioneer credited with saving the lives of thousands, dies at 92," 9 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inhibitor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of inhibitor

circa 1611

Medical Dictionary

inhibitor

noun in·hib·i·tor \ in-ˈhib-ət-ər \

medical Definition of inhibitor

:one that inhibits: as

a :an agent that slows or interferes with a chemical reaction

b :a substance that reduces the activity of another substance (as an enzyme)

c :a gene that checks the normal effect of another nonallelic gene when both are present

Learn More about inhibitor

Nglish: Translation of inhibitor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inhibitor for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inhibitor

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up inhibitor? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

inhibitor

Definition of inhibitor

Recent Examples of inhibitor from the Web

First Known Use of inhibitor

Medical Dictionary

inhibitor

medical Definition of inhibitor

Learn More about inhibitor

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

malign

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

The History of the Word 'Terrorism'

'Regimen' vs. 'Regiment'

'Spox' May Go On The Record

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Forms of Government Quiz

Original Meanings Quiz

True or False?

Add Diction

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066

inhibitor

Definition of inhibitor

From the M-W Editors

Recent Examples of inhibitor from the Web

First Known Use of inhibitor

Medical Dictionary

inhibitor

medical Definition of inhibitor

Learn More about inhibitor

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

The Origins of 'Lobbyist'

Trending: McCain: Half-Baked, 'Spurious' Nationalism

17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Forms of Government Quiz

Words of the Year: 1066