INHIBITION Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

inhibition

noun

ˌin-hə-ˈbi-shən

as in restraint

the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others an innate inhibition made it difficult for him to tell his girlfriend what he was really feeling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in obstacle

something that makes movement or progress difficult without the inhibition of their jackets, the boys were able to wrestle more vigorously

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 inhibition Whereas Phoebe lacks inhibitions, Valerie is plagued by them, and the contrasting sitcom formats of Friends (multi-cam) and The Comeback (mockumentary) call for totally different performance styles. —

Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2026 Each spring, otherwise reasonable home cooks lose all inhibitions at the first sight of ramps at the farmers market. —

Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Mar. 2026 Metallica plays on the stereo while Garcia and Huerta operate like two rock stars with no inhibitions in the kitchen. —

Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026 The blow keeps you awake and the alcohol lowers your inhibitions. —

Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inhibition

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibition

Noun

Told with exacting restraint yet as layered as the lacquer on an ebony Biedermeier console, this forms a loose triptych with Pawlikowski’s last two features, Ida and Cold War, both of which were set at least partly behind the Iron Curtain.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
For the Dior cruise show in Los Angeles, Peter Philips treated glow with the restraint of good lighting.

— Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 14 May 2026