Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

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, 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 one's 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
  • Don't let fear of failure inhibit you from trying.
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

Seen and Heard

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

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

riposte

play

a quick and clever reply

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. embolization 'the process by which a blood vessel or organ is obstructed by a material mass'

  2. oleaginous 'marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality'

  3. pansexual 'sexual desire or attraction...not limited to a particular gender identity or sexual orientation'

  4. symbiote 'an organism living in symbiosis'

  5. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image250923223
Noun + Verb Insult Generator

A collection of obscure put-downs

alt-5b0834b915e3f
'Judicial' v. 'Judicious': We'll Settle The Case

A judgment call

alt-5b06e60511014
'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

Nobody wants to be either.

alt-5b05d8545c817
'Folksonomy': Let’s Get Organized

Tag the way you want to tag.

Ask the Editors

video-ghost-words
Ghost Word

The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

spring-flowers
May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

We’re already at the end of May?!

Take the quiz
image1676440788
Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

How familiar are you with Nabokov’s unfamiliar vocabulary?

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Add Diction
Add Diction

Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.

Play the game