Inhibition
/ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃn/
Definitions
2 meaningsA feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way; a restraint on a natural impulse.
/ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃn/
The act of inhibiting; the process of being inhibited.
The child's social inhibitions prevented them from making friends.
💡 Simply: Imagine you want to sing in front of everyone, but you feel shy and awkward. That feeling of shyness that stops you from singing is called *inhibition*. It's like a mental block!
👶 For kids: Feeling shy or like you can't do something you want to do.
More Examples
The medication caused an inhibition of certain brain functions.
His inhibitions melted away as the night went on.
How It's Used
"The patient's social inhibition made it difficult for them to interact with others."
"Enzymatic inhibition is a critical process in regulating metabolic pathways."
"She felt a sense of inhibition about speaking in public."
The action of limiting or stopping something from happening or increasing.
/ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃn/
A process by which something is restrained or suppressed.
The drug's mechanism of action involves the inhibition of a specific enzyme.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're trying to build a tower with blocks, but something keeps blocking your way. That blockage, or the thing stopping you, is a type of *inhibition*.
👶 For kids: When something stops something else.
More Examples
The process of myelination leads to inhibition of nerve signal propagation.
The government imposed an economic inhibition to reduce inflation.
How It's Used
"The inhibition of a chemical reaction by a catalyst."
"Inhibitory signals in neural networks are crucial for information processing."
Synonyms & Antonyms
From Latin *inhibitio*, from the verb *inhibere* ('to restrain, hold back'), from *in-* ('in, on') + *habere* ('to have, hold').
Historically used in literature to describe psychological restraints or in scientific contexts to describe processes that slow or prevent biological or chemical reactions.
Memory tip
Think of the 'in' meaning 'inside' and 'habit' as a regular action. Inhibition is something *inside* that stops a regular habit.
Word Origin
"to restrain, hold back"