inhibition

[ in-i-bish-uhn, in-hi- ]

noun

1. the act of inhibiting.
2. the state of being inhibited.
3. something that inhibits; constraint.
4. Psychology.
   1. the blocking or holding back of one psychological process by another.
   2. inappropriate conscious or unconscious restraint or suppression of behavior, as sexual behavior, often due to guilt or fear produced by past punishment, or sometimes considered a dispositional trait.
5. Physiology.
   1. a restraining, arresting, or checking of the action of an organ or cell.
   2. the reduction of a reflex or other activity as the result of an antagonistic stimulation.
   3. a state created at synapses making them less excitable by other sources of stimulation.
6. Chemistry. a stoppage or decrease in the rate of action of a chemical reaction.
7. English Ecclesiastical Law. an order, especially from a bishop, suspending a priest or an incumbent from the performance of duties.

inhibition

/ ˌɪnɪˈbɪʃən; ˌɪnhɪ- /

noun

1. the act of inhibiting or the condition of being inhibited
2. psychol
   1. a mental state or condition in which the varieties of expression and behaviour of an individual become restricted
   2. the weakening of a learned response usually as a result of extinction or because of the presence of a distracting stimulus
   3. (in psychoanalytical theory) the unconscious restraining of an impulse See also repression
3. the process of stopping or retarding a chemical reaction
4. physiol the suppression of the function or action of an organ or part, as by stimulation of its nerve supply
5. Church of England an episcopal order suspending an incumbent

inhibition

/ ĭn′hə-bĭsh′ən /

1. The blocking or limiting of the activity of an organ, tissue, or cell of the body, caused by the action of a nerve or neuron or by the release of a substance such as a hormone or neurotransmitter.
2. Compare excitation

inhibition

1. A personal hindrance to activity or expression. For example, fear of contracting cancer might serve as an inhibition against smoking.

Other Words From

• inter·inhi·bition noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inhibition¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inhibicio(u)n, from Latin inhibitiōn-, stem of inhibitiō “prevention, restraint”; equivalent to inhibit + -ion

Example Sentences

“But you don’t have a hangover the next day. You feel the inhibition going, in your body. You feel more relaxed.”

From Slate

Notably, upregulation of Gprc5a was suppressed upon inhibition of transcription, but, remained unaffected upon suppressing protein synthesis, suggesting that Gprc5a could be transcribed early on in response to PTH signaling and serves as a direct target gene.

From Science Daily

A genetic disorder leads to an increase in bioactive lipids in the brain, resulting in an imbalance between excitation and inhibition in neural circuits and promoting mental disorders.

From Science Daily

The project under the leadership of Vogt and Nitsch within the CRC deals with the balance between excitation and inhibition in the brain and its effect on motor function.

From Science Daily

In the case of excitation, neural circuits cause information to be passed on and other neurons to be activated; in the case of inhibition, this information transfer is interrupted.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• reticence
• self-consciousness
• shyness