verb
inhibit
ihn-HIH-biht
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
Word Forms
inhibited past tense, inhibits singular
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Cold weather can _____ plant growth.
Etymology
From Latin inhibere, "to hold in, restrain," from "in-" + habere ("to have, hold").