inhibit
- 01 C1 Advanced
to prevent a process from happening or to make it happen more slowly.
to hinder, restrain, or prevent an action or process from occurring. Often used in scientific or technical contexts regarding chemical or biological reactions.
Simple“The cold weather will inhibit the growth of the new plants.”
In context“The new drug is designed to inhibit the production of specific enzymes that contribute to the inflammation of the joints.”
UsageCommonly used with a direct object representing a process or biological function.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to make someone feel nervous or embarrassed so they cannot behave normally.
to make someone self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed or natural way. Frequently appears in the passive voice or as the past participle 'inhibited'.
Simple“The presence of a camera might inhibit the children's natural play.”
In context“Strict social conventions often inhibit individuals from expressing their true opinions during formal diplomatic negotiations.”
UsageOften used in the passive voice: 'to be inhibited by something'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
to stop yourself from being involved in a legal case because of a personal interest.
to recuse oneself from a legal proceeding or official duty due to a potential conflict of interest.
Simple“The judge decided to inhibit himself from the trial because he knew the defendant.”
In context“The ombudsman chose to inhibit himself from the investigation to avoid any perception of bias or conflict of interest.”
Teacher's tipThis specific legal sense is primarily found in Philippine English; in other varieties, 'recuse' is the standard term.
Synonymsrecusewithdraw
“Smoke can also contain toxins that inhibit algal growth, while dense smoke clouds may reduce the sunlight needed for photosynthesis.”
“In most cases, the answer was “nothing.” But 16 of the sequences managed to inhibit the growth of the E.”
From Latin inhibitus, perfect passive participle of inhibeō (“I hold in, check, restrain”), from in (“in, at, on”), + habeō (“I have, hold, keep”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.