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

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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

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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 fractured country united around that team, dropped its inhibitions and partied until the wee hours. — Miami Herald, 5 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for inhibition

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibition

Noun

Having dressed numerous actresses throughout her career, Chiuri sees a shift in red carpet culture toward individualized creations and, more recently, greater restraint.

— Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
In an era when high-performance vehicles often grow larger, heavier, and more complex with each successive generation, part of the Carrera T’s appeal lies in its restraint.

— Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of restraint

Noun

Icy weather, snowstorms, obstructive foliage and rugged terrain along the wild Rockies were just some of the obstacles Ben Nickell and Anne Koski faced on a 10-year journey to climb the highest point in each of Idaho’s 44 counties.

— Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Noun

Today, a fourth discipline has quietly become just as important.

— Tom Wicky, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
But Roger remembers the particular discipline of working on low-budget film productions, when stock and time were precious and rolling the camera was consequential.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of discipline

Noun

Our main hurdle has always been convincing people to pay for a cinema ticket to watch two episodes of a series.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Most of the K-pop festivals that have been announced over the last few years never went ahead due to various logistical hurdles.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of hurdle

Noun

The future of Indian democracy hinges on whether this contest opens up more democratic space or leads to greater repression.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
To play Sebastian, Guitarrica had to immerse himself in the character’s emotional repression, from which music is his only escape.

— Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of repression

Noun

The subpoenas concern possible obstruction of justice in the handling of cases before federal judges, the source said.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2026
Robertson said those concerns include obstruction of pedestrian and car traffic, collisions into infrastructure, and effects on pets and children.

— Victor Jacobo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of obstruction

Noun

What about art that makes one cringe with embarrassment at its existence?

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Chronicling the hyper-niche behaviors that define our online existence, Berlant describes the seemingly inescapable embarrassment of wasting one’s life away in an endless scroll.

— Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of embarrassment

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inhibiting

inhibition

inhibitions

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“Inhibition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhibition. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inhibition

noun

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