Cool MateHinder vs Inhibit
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Hinder
Top 5,000 (fairly common)B1verb
Inhibit
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
Most common: Inhibit
| Hinder | Inhibit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈhɪndər//🇺🇸 //ˈhɪndər// | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈhɪbɪt/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪts/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈhɪbɪt/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪts/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɪd/","/ɪnˈhɪbɪtɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To make something difficult or slow down progress. | to stop something from happening or growing |
| Example | The heavy rain will hinder our ability to drive safely. | A lack of oxygen may inhibit brain development in the unborn child. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb |
| Collocations | hinder progress, hinder development, hinder efforts | greatly, markedly, seriously, tend to, from, greatly, markedly, seriously, tend to, from |
| Antonyms | assist, help, facilitate | promote, encourage, facilitate |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'prevent', which means to stop something completely., Using 'hinder' without an object, which makes it grammatically incorrect., Overusing in casual conversation; it's better suited for formal writing. | Confused it with 'prohibit', which means to formally forbid something., Using it with the wrong preposition; it should be 'inhibit something', not 'inhibit to something'., Mixing it up with 'enhance'; inhibit means to restrict, while enhance means to improve. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe obstacles or setbacks. Avoid using for minor inconveniences. | Use 'inhibit' in both formal and informal contexts when discussing the prevention or slowing of actions, processes, or behaviors. It is appropriate in scientific, medical, or academic discussions, but might sound too technical in casual conversations. |
Frequently asked questions: Hinder vs Inhibit
What's the difference between Hinder and Inhibit?
Hinder: To make something difficult or slow down progress. Inhibit: to stop something from happening or growing
Which is more common: Hinder and Inhibit?
Inhibit is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Hinder and Inhibit?
Inhibit is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Hinder and Inhibit the same CEFR level?
Hinder: B1, Inhibit: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Hinder and Inhibit?
Hinder: verb, Inhibit: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Hinder: The heavy rain will hinder our ability to drive safely. Inhibit: A lack of oxygen may inhibit brain development in the unborn child.
Can I use Hinder and Inhibit interchangeably?
Not always. Hinder and Inhibit are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.