Meanings
plural inhibitions
- countableuncountableThe act of inhibiting.
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesA personal feeling of fear or embarrassment that stops one behaving naturally.
Ah, no inhibitions Make no conditions Get a little outta line I ain't gonna act Politically correct I only wanna have a good time
1997, Shania Twain, Mutt Lange, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”, in Come On Over, performed by Shania Twain1 more example
Often the guests, affected by the wine drinking, released all inhibitions and made erotic overtures, particularly to the slave cup-bearers.
1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 230 - PhilippinescountableuncountablelawA recusal.
Synonyms & antonyms
noun(psychology) the conscious exclusion of unacceptable thoughts or desires
nounthe action of prohibiting or inhibiting or forbidding (or an instance thereof)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latininhibitio
- Old Frenchinibicion
- Middle Englishinhibicioun
- Englishinhibition
From Middle English inhibicioun, inhibicione from Old French inibicion, from Latin inhibitio. Morphologically inhibit + -ion.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian спиране, задържане
- спиране (spirane)Act of inhibiting
- задържане (zadăržane)Act of inhibiting
- инхибиране (inhibirane)Stopping or retarding a chemical reaction
Catalan inhibició, inhibició
- inhibicióAct of inhibiting
- inhibicióState of being inhibited
Dutch remming
- remmingAct of inhibiting
Esperanto inhibicio
- inhibicioAct of inhibiting
Finnish estäminen, esto
- estäminenAct of inhibiting
- estoStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- pidäkeStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- esteStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- pidättyneisyysState of being inhibited
- estyneisyysState of being inhibited
- estoisuusState of being inhibited
French inhibition, inhibition
- inhibitionAct of inhibiting
- inhibitionStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- inhibitionState of being inhibited
German Unterdrückung, Hemmung
- UnterdrückungAct of inhibiting
- HemmungState of being inhibited
Greek αναχαίτιση, παρεμπόδιση
- αναχαίτιση (anachaítisi)Act of inhibiting
- παρεμπόδιση (parempódisi)Act of inhibiting
- αναστολή (anastolí)Act of inhibiting
- αναστολή (anastolí)Stopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- αναστολή (anastolí)State of being inhibited
Hungarian gátlás
- gátlásAct of inhibiting
Indonesian inhibisi, penghambatan
- inhibisiStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- penghambatanStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
Irish urchoilleadh, urchoilleadh
- urchoilleadhAct of inhibiting
- urchoilleadhState of being inhibited
Italian inibizione
- inibizioneStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
Polish zahamowanie
- zahamowanieState of being inhibited
Portuguese inibição
- inibiçãoStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
Romanian inhibare, inhibiție
- inhibareAct of inhibiting
- inhibițieAct of inhibiting
- inhibițieState of being inhibited
Russian сдерживание, ингибирование
- сдерживание (sderživanije)Act of inhibiting
- ингибирование (ingibirovanije)Act of inhibiting
- торможение (tormoženije)Act of inhibiting
- задержка (zaderžka)Act of inhibiting
Slovak zábrana
- zábranaAct of inhibiting
Spanish inhibición, inhibición
- inhibiciónAct of inhibiting
- inhibiciónStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
- inhibiciónState of being inhibited
Swedish hämning
- hämningState of being inhibited
Tagalog sansala
- sansalaStopping or retarding a chemical reaction
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with inhibition
Cite this entry
inhibition. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inhibition
“inhibition.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inhibition. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inhibition,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inhibition.
Source: inhibition on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.