as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult
without the inhibition of their jackets, the boys were able to wrestle more vigorously
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Recent Examples of inhibitions
Narcissists sometimes get worse with age, as their remaining inhibitions fall away.
—
David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
That means abandoning your inhibitions and not getting hung up on grammar or achieving proficiency, said Thomas Sauer, assistant director of resource development for the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Instead of stimulating the brain, alcohol slows it down and loosens inhibitions.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The key is to relax, let go of your inhibitions, and just have fun.
—Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025
Formal networking or making casual conversation with colleagues can sometimes feel awkward or forced, and many have welcomed the slight reduction to inhibitions that responsible use of alcohol affords.
—Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Two fanbases found mutual ground, sympathetic to the other’s situation, with Newcastle previously unable to sign a senior player for three consecutive windows and Villa suffering similar inhibitions this summer.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Lammy shed his inhibitions—and found a national platform, in the media—while his future in the Party clouded over.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Aquarius season asks you to go within, especially with both the sun and Mercury transiting your secretive 12th house of privacy, inhibitions, dreams and unconscious patterns.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Jan. 2025
David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
That means abandoning your inhibitions and not getting hung up on grammar or achieving proficiency, said Thomas Sauer, assistant director of resource development for the National Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Instead of stimulating the brain, alcohol slows it down and loosens inhibitions.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 10 Jan. 2026
The key is to relax, let go of your inhibitions, and just have fun.
—Kimberly Zapata, Parents, 17 Oct. 2025
Formal networking or making casual conversation with colleagues can sometimes feel awkward or forced, and many have welcomed the slight reduction to inhibitions that responsible use of alcohol affords.
—Melissa A. Wheeler, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Two fanbases found mutual ground, sympathetic to the other’s situation, with Newcastle previously unable to sign a senior player for three consecutive windows and Villa suffering similar inhibitions this summer.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Lammy shed his inhibitions—and found a national platform, in the media—while his future in the Party clouded over.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025
Aquarius season asks you to go within, especially with both the sun and Mercury transiting your secretive 12th house of privacy, inhibitions, dreams and unconscious patterns.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inhibitions
Noun
-
The researchers created the virtual animals and released them into a synthetic world, giving them tasks on how to navigate, avoid obstacles and find food.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The secluded area in Arizona where Guthrie lives and appears to have been kidnapped in the early morning hours of February 1 continues to present obstacles, as does the intense media scrutiny.—
Elizabeth Hartfield,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Long charging times and limited ranges are still two major hurdles that deter many potential EV buyers.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Industries with heavy regulatory hurdles, where adoption will be slowed by compliance, liability, and institutional inertia.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Reducing meetings to once a month and limiting public comment create barriers.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Last year’s blitz of bills, capping off years of gradual legislative efforts to remove regulatory barriers to building dense housing across California, has, in Wicks’ view, teed up this next big swing.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Crews advanced hose lines to the second floor and had difficulty gaining access because of obstructions behind the bedroom door, according to the release.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Check slopes for bare spots, holes and obstructions, like rocks, fences or poles.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But anomaly detection may have prevented embarrassments like the one at OPERA.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Feb. 2026
-
All the teams ran largely reliably and there were no major embarrassments playing out in front of the public and the media.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inhibitions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inhibitions. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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