inhibited 1 of 2

inhibited

2 of 2

verb

past tense of inhibit
1
2
3
as in dissuaded
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inhibited
Adjective
Both players were so inhibited for the final game of the set that the level of play resembled something from a local park. Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 27 May 2026 This really is a time to be less inhibited about going out. Joe Hernandez, NPR, 25 May 2026 School is the crucible where raw vitality encounters the collective will to impose order and control but also to bring cultural richness to lives that might otherwise remain inhibited and crude. Tim Parks, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 Her last and only boyfriend, Tim, would have been too inhibited. Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026 Participants who appeared engaged, responsive, and comfortable in the interaction, maintaining eye contact and seeming open rather than inhibited, were far more likely to be liked. Big Think, 18 Mar. 2026 Callie hangs out with her more inhibited best friend, Minnie Dunn, played spectacularly well by Katherine Mallen Kupferer. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026 There are students who feel inhibited from expressing their Jewish or Zionist identity because of the atmosphere of the atmosphere of intimidation or harassment on college campuses. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 Nini and Lali seemed happier without him—more relaxed, less inhibited. Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
Both mainly reduced trade barriers and committed all three governments to avoid policies that inhibited commercial flows with one another. Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026 The rough waters, which included waves that were about 13 feet high, inhibited rescue efforts. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026 Emerging research shows that the diaphragm’s ability to act as a respiratory muscle is inhibited during active bracing for spinal stability. Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 This action supports methanogens, too, since they are inhibited by oxygen. Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026 Ferreira found that peptides in the venom powerfully inhibited an enzyme involved in regulating blood pressure. Steve Midway, STAT, 16 July 2026 Moon said that grieving Barnett has been a slow, complex process inhibited by the nearly two years of legal proceedings between her father’s death and Johnson’s conviction. Ilana Arougheti june 30, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026 So, that has sometimes inhibited our ability to respond to [news]. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 29 May 2026 Curiosity itself is not disappearing, but it can be inhibited by several factors including things like fear, assumptions, technology, and interactions in workplace environments. Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibited
Adjective
  • The storefront itself remains restrained, with each window presenting a single frame on a sculptural glass pedestal.
    Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The push comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces criticism at home for a restrained response, trying to balance Japan’s alliance with Washington and its commitment to international justice.
    Mari Yamaguchi, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Last season was hampered by an injury to starter Drew Allar, but Penn State has had more than eight passes over 40 yards, in a season, one time in the last six years.
    The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Fiske is at full strength after being hampered last season by a knee injury sustained at the end of his rookie year.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • There is also a drone for aerial shots, controlled from a little tent on the roof of a synagogue just behind the Mound Stand on the other side of St John’s Wood Road.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • OpenAI says the surrounding mathematics remains controlled enough to keep the fluid’s energy finite.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Trump may be taking a risk by leaning into this more, though, because Democrats may be dissuaded by his close involvement in the bill.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • This has not dissuaded residents from demanding action from city officials.
    Noah Daly August 2, Idaho Statesman, 2 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • In those cases, a house becomes heirs’ property, a somewhat aloof legal term that can have devastating real-world impacts as a common driver of involuntary home loss, legal experts say.
    Mirtha Donastorg, AJC.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Deadline first reported that John Lithgow was nearing final talks for the role of Albus Dumbledore, the aloof yet powerful headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
    Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • People in crisis incarcerated in Joliet have set over 60 fires since summer 2024, including eight cases of self-immolation and, after guards impeded access to lifesaving care, at least one death.
    Joan Steffen, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Kupor, head of the government’s chief human resources agency since July 2025, has publicly argued even jobs conducive to remote work can be impeded by working from home.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The glove contained a small bag of cocaine and Adderall, the document said.
    Ava Kelley, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • During the encounter, Molano was allowed to contact another person to take possession of the vehicle, which still contained the cinnamon rolls and their storage containers, Fortune said.
    Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The law has in some cases discouraged people, and especially women, from wanting to marry at a time when Japan’s birth rate has fallen to dangerously low levels.
    Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Idea futures would undermine the institutional clout of skeptical old physicists with tenure—monetizing, promoting, and rewarding bold claims discouraged by mainstream consensus.
    Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inhibited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhibited. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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