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
• disrupt
• handicap
• block
• delay
• interfere (with)
• constrain
• encumber
• cramp
• tie up
• clog
• hobble
• shackle
• fetter
• thwart
• short-circuit
• hold back
• handcuff
• trammel
• frustrate
• stifle
• curb
• hog-tie
• bind
• tie
• rein
• retain
• manacle
• cramp one's style
• retard
• give a hard time
• brake
• hold up
• balk
• check
• strangle
• confine
• arrest
• choke
• tether
• derail
• sabotage
• repress
• barricade
• blockade
• suppress
• bog (down)
• baffle
• 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

Spider silk’s bacteriostatic properties inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria, keeping denim garments fresher for longer and reducing the need for laundering. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026

This inhibiting factor has played out so far this hurricane season, with the Atlantic going quiet for weeks on end. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Beneficial bacteria also provide colonization resistance, competing with harmful microbes for nutrients and attachment sites while producing substances that inhibit their growth. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026

The approach has been to treat patients with chemotherapy based on demographics and the method being tested would be individualized based on the tumor, or which agents will inhibit tumor growth, Birk said. — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026