INHIBITION Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

inhibition

noun

ˌin-hə-ˈbi-shən

Definition of inhibition

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

Relevance

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 The little people are being menaced by a dark force—a force with power, money, and very few moral inhibitions. — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 4 June 2026 Shrug off inhibitions and break the ice as the moon and Uranus harmonize. — Usa Today, USA Today, 4 June 2026 Amy Lawrence pointed out that, while Arsenal possess that type of player, there is a level of inhibition. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 May 2026 Alcohol relieves social inhibition. — Jonathan Avery, STAT, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for inhibition

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibition

Noun

If the answer is yes, then waiting ceases to be a strategy of restraint and begins to look like gradual erosion of power and strength.

— Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of restraint

Noun

Bond yields Persistent inflation, tariffs and whipsawing gas prices are not the only obstacles complicating the task for the Fed.

— Brian Cheung, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
The emotional incompatibility of self-care Applebaum said that even those who can overcome the practical obstacles often still struggle to take care of themselves.

— Elissa Strauss, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Noun

The university, like campuses nationwide, is barred by federal privacy law from discussing individual discipline cases or internal deliberations, even when a student goes public.

— Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Eisenhower possessed iron discipline, sunny self-confidence and a mind that loved organizational challenges.

— John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of discipline

Noun

But Oxley, writing in a commentary, cautioned that there are logistical hurdles and said the value of Venezuela’s reserves may have been exaggerated under former President Hugo Chavez.

— Collin Binkley, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Secondly, insurance and safety inspections remain critical hurdles.

— , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

Frequently subjected to repression and censorship, some of them were excluded from the Association of Visual Artists and thus denied access to state funding, exhibition opportunities, commissions, and official recognition as professional artists.

— Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
To reassert discipline, the Kremlin not only ramped up its use of selective repression but often drew on anti-spying legislation to do so.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of repression

Noun

In December 2019, the House impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from his efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate then-former Vice President Joe Biden while withholding military aid.

— Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026
Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Royce Moser, has been charged with homicide and counts related to tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, obstruction and conspiracy.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of obstruction

Noun

In both studies, the pill maintained viral suppression at rates comparable to patients’ previous regimens at 48 weeks and was generally well tolerated with no new safety concerns.

— Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Trump’s Postal Service has issued a 95-page rule to implement his restrictions on mail voting, despite a federal court order against that voter suppression scheme.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of suppression

Noun

He’s particularly drawn to episodes that are discomforting for his countrymen—the Dreyfus Affair, and, a recent obsession, French accommodation in Nazi rule during the Occupation, a national embarrassment that was long passed over in silence.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Just the latest embarrassment from the worst president in any of our lifetimes.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

Browse Nearby Words

inhibiting

inhibition

inhibitions

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Inhibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhibition. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of inhibition

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on inhibition

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes