inhibitive

Tending to suppress

Inhibitive describes something that holds back, restrains, or prevents action or development.

It functions much like inhibiting or inhibitory, characterizing factors that suppress or discourage rather than promote.

The regulations had an inhibitive effect on small business growth.

Her inhibitive attitude made open discussion difficult.

The word appears most often in formal or technical contexts discussing barriers to progress or function.

restrictive

limiting

Placing restrictions upon

impeding · suppressive · repressive · stifling · curbing · hindering · confining · hampering · blocking · obstructive

deterrent

discouraging

Causing loss of confidence

cautionary · dampening · chilling · forbidding · intimidating · daunting · warning · disincentivizing · dispiriting · deflecting

psychological

repressive

Tending to suppress

hesitant · withdrawn · reserved · constrained · blocked · suppressed · fearful · anxious · restrained · timid

Opposites
restraint versus permission

inhibitivepermissive

Tolerant, lacking strictness

allowing · tolerant · lenient · indulgent · liberal

suppression versus facilitation

inhibitivefacilitative

Tending to enable

stimulative · promotive · enabling · encouraging · activating

Phrases
Family

inhibition, inhibiting, inhibitions, disinhibition, disinhibiting

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Everyday, not technical · Rated G