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
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 Hurricane formation can be inhibited by strong wind shear over the Atlantic, stirred by the pattern of warmer-than-normal waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibited
Adjective
  • China media have been relatively restrained about this election result compared to past extreme rhetoric.
    Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But this Sin City home takes a more restrained approach, pairing clean lines and strong geometric forms with the natural beauty of the Southwest.
    Tori Latham, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The lack of wreckage has hampered efforts to determine the cause of the sinking and where to focus search operations, authorities said.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The shouting match ultimately ended with Anthony deciding not to testify, a decision his attorneys said hampered his ability to effectively claim self-defense in the killing.
    Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The service got its name from the original Mechanical Turk, an 18th century chess-playing robot that was actually controlled by a human chess master.
    Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Social-media feeds controlled by Netflix or Stella Artois will also boost the alliance.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 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
  • Khalil is unfailingly polite, in a way that can come across as mannered, almost aloof.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Technically very good, but also a little aloof, while getting good results without appearing to try desperately hard to impress you.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Kenya’s Red Cross said difficult terrain and a fire at the site of the crash impeded its search and recovery efforts.
    Alexandra Bacallao, NBC news, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Traces of a silk fabric found near her skull that may have been used as a trim on a hat or bonnet contained metal threads made of pure gold and silver.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • According to German media, the cache in Berlin contained two handguns and ammunition.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This might have discouraged a sensible man from deciding to become a publisher.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The lingering effects of high interest rates and Trump’s erratic trade policies discouraged companies from hiring in 2025.
    Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inhibited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhibited. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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