Synonyms of inhibit

inhibit

verb

in-ˈhi-bət 

1

as in to impede

to create difficulty for the work or activity of

the cold inhibited her from getting much work done that morning

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impede
• hinder
• hamper
• obstruct
• embarrass
• stymie
• restrain
• handicap
• disrupt
• delay
• block
• constrain
• interfere (with)
• encumber
• cramp
• tie up
• clog
• hobble
• thwart
• shackle
• fetter
• short-circuit
• hold back
• handcuff
• trammel
• frustrate
• stifle
• curb
• bind
• hog-tie
• tie
• retain
• rein
• manacle
• cramp one's style
• retard
• brake
• give a hard time
• hold up
• balk
• check
• strangle
• confine
• choke
• arrest
• tether
• derail
• sabotage
• repress
• barricade
• blockade
• suppress
• baffle
• bog (down)
• chain
• smother
• leash
• suffocate
• foil
• muzzle
• halter
• roadblock
• hem (in)
• stump
• hedge (in)
• mire

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• facilitate
• help
• assist
• aid
• open
• liberate
• make way
• clear
• promote
• release
• encourage
• free
• loosen
• unplug
• unclog
• smooth
• unstop
• further
• untie

2

as in to regulate

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

laws designed to inhibit the powers of the intelligence organizations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• regulate
• contain
• curb
• control
• restrain
• keep
• stifle
• suppress
• constrain
• measure
• govern
• tame
• hold
• rule
• stop
• check
• impede
• hinder
• interrupt
• pull in
• rein (in)
• repress
• bridle
• obstruct
• swallow
• choke (back)
• smother
• strangle
• hamper
• hold back
• block
• arrest
• squelch
• muffle
• silence
• sink
• bottle (up)
• mince
• pocket
• handcuff
• muzzle
• gag

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• liberate
• loosen
• express
• loose
• unleash
• take out
• vent
• air

3

as in to discourage

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 & Similar Words

• discourage
• dissuade
• deter
• divert
• repel
• unsell

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encourage
• persuade
• urge
• induce
• egg (on)
• prompt
• exhort
• prod
• goad
• impel

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb inhibit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of inhibit are forbid, interdict, and prohibit. While all these words mean "to debar one from doing something or to order that something not be done," 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

When is forbid a more appropriate choice than inhibit?

The words forbid and inhibit can be used in similar contexts, but forbid implies that the order is from one in authority and that obedience is expected.

smoking is forbidden in the building

When is it sensible to use interdict instead of inhibit?

While in some cases nearly identical to inhibit, interdict implies prohibition by civil or ecclesiastical authority usually for a given time or a declared purpose.

practices interdicted by the church

When might prohibit be a better fit than inhibit?

The synonyms prohibit and inhibit are sometimes interchangeable, but prohibit suggests the issuing of laws, statutes, or regulations.

prohibited the sale of liquor

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of inhibit

And while the thought of tiny bugs inhibiting our eyelashes sounds rather frightening, the reality is far less startling. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 16 July 2026

The mechanism behind cholesterol-clearing UC San Diego researchers in La Jolla knew going into their latest study that high-cholesterol diets inhibit the ability of the liver — the cholesterol-removing organ — to clear it from the blood. — Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2026

However, Luna’s close proximity with Chiron in Taurus can also reveal where our attachment to safety and comfort has essentially inhibited us from our own potential. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026

Third, adding synthetic fertilizer makes soil more acidic, which can inhibit arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and mycelial development. — Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, The Conversation, 8 July 2026