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inhibit

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of inhibit

1 to create difficulty for the work or activity of

  • the cold inhibited her from getting much work done that morning
Synonyms of inhibit

clog, cramp, embarrass, encumber, fetter, hamper, handcuff, handicap, hinder, hobble, hog-tie, hold back, hold up, impede, interfere (with), manacle, obstruct, shackle, short-circuit, stymie, tie up, trammel
Words Related to inhibit

balk, check, constrain, curb, rein, restrain

bind, chain, halter, leash, tether, tie

arrest, brake, delay, retain, retard

barricade, block, blockade, roadblock

bog (down), mire

choke, smother, stifle, strangle, suffocate

baffle, foil, frustrate, stump, thwart

derail, disrupt, sabotage

muzzle, repress, suppress

confine, hedge (in), hem (in)
Phrases Synonymous with inhibit

cramp oneʼs style, give a hard time
Near Antonyms of inhibit

clear, make way, open, unclog, unplug, unstop

free, liberate, release, untie

loosen, smooth

encourage, further, promote
Antonyms of inhibit

aid, assist, facilitate, help

2 to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)

  • laws designed to inhibit the powers of the intelligence organizations
Synonyms of inhibit

bridle, check, constrain, contain, control, curb, govern, hold, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame
Words Related to inhibit

bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow

arrest, interrupt, stop

block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct

gag, muzzle, silence
Near Antonyms of inhibit

liberate, loose, loosen, unleash

air, express, take out, vent
Antonyms of inhibit

lose

3 to steer (a person) from an activity or course of action

  • a fundamental sense of propriety should have inhibited you from making a drunken spectacle of yourself
Synonyms of inhibit

deter, discourage, dissuade
Words Related to inhibit

divert

unsell

repel
Near Antonyms of inhibit

egg (on), exhort, goad, prod, urge

impel, induce, prompt
Antonyms of inhibit

encourage, persuade

Synonym Discussion of inhibit

forbid, prohibit, interdict, inhibit mean to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done. forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.
    • smoking is forbidden in the building
prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.
    • prohibited the sale of liquor
interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.
    • practices interdicted by the church
inhibit implies restraints or restrictions that amount to prohibitions, not only by authority but also by the exigencies of the time or situation.
    • conditions inhibiting the growth of free trade

Learn More about inhibit

  1. See words that rhyme with inhibit Dictionary: Definition of inhibit Medical Dictionary: Definition of inhibit Spanish Central: Translation of inhibit Nglish: Translation of inhibit for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of inhibit for Arabic speakers

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