To inhibit something is to slow it down, stop it, or hold it back. It can refer to blocking actions, feelings, chemical reactions, or biological processes.
It comes from Latin “inhibere,” meaning “to hold in” or “to restrain,” from “in-” (in) and “habere” (to have, to hold). The sense of holding something in place turned into preventing it from acting freely.
Inhibit is like putting a brake on behavior, emotions, or reactions. In chemistry and biology, inhibitors stop reactions; in psychology, inhibitions stop people from acting on impulses. The same root idea—holding back—shows up in both your brain and your lab.
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