French Conversation · Level 80
60 words
French word
inhiber
Pronunciation
IPA/inibe/
Meaning
- verbinhibit
Example
Le stress peut inhiber l'appétit.
Stress can inhibit appetite.
More examples
Il est difficile d'inhiber une réaction instinctive.
It is difficult to suppress an instinctive reaction.
Core concept
A hand pressing down on a spring, keeping its energy from fully emerging.
Common phrases
s'inhiber en public
feel inhibited in public
inhiber une réaction instinctive
suppress an instinctive reaction
Similar words
empêcher: To stop an action or event from happening altogether.
gêner: To interfere with an action or movement, making it harder to perform.
freiner: To reduce the speed or momentum of movement or progress.
entraver: To hinder movement or progress and keep it from proceeding smoothly.
Definition in French
Rendre moins intense ou empêcher en partie l'expression d'une action, d'une sensation ou d'un processus.
Word origin
French inhiber is a learned borrowing from Latin inhibere, built from in- 'in' and habere 'to hold', with a sense that developed from holding back to restraining an action or process.
Usage tips
- In French, inhiber is usually transitive and often belongs to formal or scientific usage, while s'inhiber means to hold oneself back.