verb
Uncommon
inhibit
ihn-HIH-biht
Inhibit (verb) means to slow down, restrain, or prevent something from happening freely. Example: “Cold weather can inhibit plant growth.”
verb
1
To slow down, restrain, or prevent something from happening freely.
"Cold weather can inhibit plant growth."
"Fear of failure inhibited her from trying new things."
How to use inhibit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hold something back or make it harder to happen.
Common pairings
inhibit growth
inhibit development
socially inhibited
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- inhibits
- Past tense
- inhibited
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Cold weather can _____ plant growth.
Etymology
From Latin inhibere, "to hold in, restrain," from "in-" + habere ("to have, hold").
Related words
Rhymes for inhibit
See all rhymes for inhibit →Frequently asked questions
What does “inhibit” mean?
The word “inhibit” means to slow down, restrain, or prevent something from happening freely. In plain terms, to hold something back or make it harder to happen.
How do you pronounce “inhibit”?
“Inhibit” is pronounced ihn-HIH-biht (/ɪnˈhɪbɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “inhibit” in a sentence?
Here is “inhibit” used in a sentence: “Cold weather can inhibit plant growth.”
What part of speech is “inhibit”?
“Inhibit” is a verb.
Where does the word “inhibit” come from?
The word “inhibit” comes from Latin. From Latin inhibere, "to hold in, restrain," from "in-" + habere ("to have, hold").
Is “inhibit” a common word?
“Inhibit” is an uncommon word in modern English.
