Inhibit vs. Prohibit: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Inhibit means to restrain or hinder an action or process, while prohibit means to formally forbid something by law or rule.
Key Differences
Inhibit refers to the action of restraining, hindering, or slowing down a process or behavior, often internally or psychologically. Prohibit, on the other hand, denotes a formal or authoritative banning of something, typically through laws or regulations.
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Inhibition can be subtle, stemming from internal factors like fear or uncertainty. Prohibition is explicit and is usually enforced by an external authority, like government or organizational policies.
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Inhibiting factors might include personal doubts or environmental conditions that impede progress. Prohibiting factors are clear-cut rules or directives that explicitly disallow certain actions or behaviors.
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Inhibited behavior is often self-controlled and not necessarily dictated by external rules. Prohibited behavior is strictly regulated by external laws or guidelines, with potential penalties for violation.
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Psychological or social pressures can inhibit individuals, affecting their decisions or actions. Prohibitions are legal or formal restraints that leave no room for personal discretion or choice.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
To hinder or restrain internally
To formally forbid or ban by law or rule
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Source of Action
Internal factors like fear, uncertainty
External authority, law, or policy
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Nature of Restriction
Subtle and often psychological
Explicit and legal or authoritative
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Behavioral Impact
Self-controlled, voluntary restraint
Mandatory compliance with rules
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Inhibit and Prohibit Definitions
Inhibit
To restrain or reduce a function
This medication inhibits pain signals.
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Prohibit
To make something impossible
The contract prohibits any form of early termination.
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Inhibit
To prevent or slow down an action or process
Cold weather can inhibit plant growth.
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Prohibit
To disallow by authority
The school prohibits the use of mobile phones during class.
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Inhibit
To discourage or suppress
Criticism might inhibit creativity in children.
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Prohibit
To formally forbid by law or rule
The law prohibits smoking in public areas.
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Inhibit
To psychologically restrain
His shyness inhibited him from speaking in public.
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Prohibit
To ban something explicitly
This policy prohibits any form of discrimination.
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Inhibit
To hold back; restrain
Barricades that inhibited the movement of the crowd.
A lack of knowledge that inhibited his inclination to ask questions.
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Prohibit
To prevent an action or practice
Regulations prohibit dumping waste in the river.
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Inhibit
To cause (a person) to behave in a restrained or self-conscious way
He felt inhibited by the presence of so many famous people.
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Inhibit
(Psychology) To suppress or restrain (behavior, an impulse, or a desire) consciously or unconsciously.
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Prohibit
To prevent; preclude
Modesty prohibits me from saying what happened.
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Prohibit
(transitive) To forbid, disallow, or proscribe officially; to make illegal or illicit.
The restaurant prohibits smoking on the patio.
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Inhibit
(Biology) To decrease, limit, or block the action or function of (an enzyme or organ, for example).
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Prohibit
To forbid by authority; to interdict; as, God prohibited Adam from eating of the fruit of a certain tree; we prohibit a person from doing a thing, and also the doing of the thing; as, the law prohibits men from stealing, or it prohibits stealing.
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Prohibit
To hinder; to debar; to prevent; to preclude.
Gates of burning adamant,Barred over us, prohibit all egress.
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Inhibit
(transitive) To hold in or hold back; to keep in check; restrain.
Inhibit someone's freedom
Inhibit someone's education
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Prohibit
Command against;
I forbid you to call me late at night
Mother vetoed the trip to the chocolate store
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Inhibit
To check; to hold back; to restrain; to hinder.
Their motions also are excited or inhibited . . . by the objects without them.
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Inhibit
To forbid; to prohibit; to interdict.
All men were inhibited, by proclamation, at the dissolution, so much as to mention a Parliament.
Burial may not be inhibited or denied to any one.
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Inhibit
To cause the rate of (a chemical or biochemical reaction) to proceed slower, or to halt; as, vitamin C inhibits oxidation; penicillins inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis.
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Inhibit
To restrain (a behavior) by a mechanism involving conscious or unconscious motivations.
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Inhibit
To put down by force or authority;
Suppress a nascent uprising
Stamp down on littering
Conquer one's desires
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Inhibit
Limit the range or extent of;
Contact between the young was inhibited by strict social customs
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What does inhibit mean?
Inhibit means to restrain or hold back something from happening.
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How does inhibit differ from prohibit?
Inhibit implies a restriction or hindrance, while prohibit denotes a direct and often legal or authoritative ban.
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Are prohibitions always legal?
While often legal, they can also be rules set by organizations or groups.
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Can 'inhibit' be used in a psychological context?
Yes, it's often used to describe psychological restraints or limitations.
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Can you give an example of something being prohibited?
Smoking is prohibited in many public buildings.
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What does prohibit mean?
Prohibit means to formally forbid something by law, rule, or other authority.
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Is 'prohibit' only used in legal contexts?
Mostly, but it can also be used more broadly to mean any strong restriction.
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Is inhibit always negative?
Not necessarily; it can be protective, like inhibiting harmful behaviors.
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Can drugs inhibit bodily functions?
Yes, some drugs are designed to inhibit certain bodily functions for therapeutic reasons.
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Is prohibit stronger than inhibit?
Typically, yes. Prohibit is often more absolute and formal.
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Can a person be prohibited from doing something?
Yes, people can be prohibited from certain actions by laws or rules.
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Can a law inhibit but not prohibit?
Yes, a law can create conditions that inhibit without outright prohibiting.
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Can a person's actions be inhibited?
Yes, personal actions or reactions can be inhibited by internal or external factors.
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Can emotions be inhibited?
Yes, people can inhibit their emotions, meaning they restrain or hold them back.
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Can fear inhibit someone?
Yes, fear can inhibit a person, limiting their actions or responses.
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Does prohibit mean the same as ban?
Yes, to prohibit is essentially to ban something.
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Is it possible to prohibit thoughts?
Prohibit is generally used for actions or practices, not thoughts.
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What are synonyms for prohibit?
Ban, forbid, and disallow are common synonyms.
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Is inhibit used in scientific contexts?
Yes, especially in biology and chemistry to describe processes being slowed or stopped.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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