phobia
noun
pho·bia
| \ ˈfō-bē-ə
\
\
Definition of phobia
(Entry 1 of 2)
: an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation
-phobia
noun combining formDefinition of -phobia (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: exaggerated fear of
acrophobia
2
: intolerance or aversion for
photophobia
Examples of phobia in a Sentence
Noun
His fear of crowds eventually developed into a phobia.Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Among his eccentricities was a phobia of getting his head wet. — Smithsonian, "John Steinbeck’s Epic Ocean Voyage Rewrote the Rules of Ecology," 22 Aug. 2019 Almost one in five people with anxiety disorders misuse alcohol, and those with social phobia report less physical activity. — Arman Azad, CNN, "Why people with mental illness may face poorer physical health and early death," 16 July 2019 Today the Republic of California, as a couple of dozen settlers christened it in 1846 during the Mexican-American War, again feels like a breakaway state, with its own mores, laws, phobias, and monumental contradictions. — Michael Greenberg, The New York Review of Books, "Michael Greenberg," 17 Jan. 2019 Some people have allergies, some have legitimate phobias, and some hate returning to their desks only to find their computer cords chewed up by a co-worker’s puppy. — Sarah Todd, Quartz at Work, "The most dog-friendly offices in the US, according to Rover.com," 12 June 2019 To those of us who would like our language to be a bit more concise than a dog’s bark, a phobia is an irrational fear. — James Lileks, National Review, "Girth Dearth," 11 July 2019 For some animals, who may have a noise phobia or have exhibited signs of stress with loud sounds in the past, more aggressive calming techniques may be necessary. — Tanya Edwards, BostonGlobe.com, "Here’s how to keep your pets from freaking out during summer fireworks," 26 June 2019 Many of the most common phobias, from flying to heights, come out when people travel. — Alyson Krueger, Condé Nast Traveler, "How to Tackle the Most Common Travel Fears," 6 June 2019 The poor child who picked Scotland out was then accosted by the presiding FIFA officials and ordered to return the ball the cages, no doubt triggering an acute phobia of miniature footballs for the rest of his life. — SI.com, "Morrisons, Donald Trump & a Boozy Rod Stewart: 8 of the Strangest Cup Draws of All Time," 21 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'phobia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for phobia
phobia
noun
English Language Learners Definition of phobia
(Entry 1 of 2)
: an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something
-phobia
noun combining formEnglish Language Learners Definition of -phobia (Entry 2 of 2)
: an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something
See the full definition for -phobia in the English Language Learners Dictionary
phobia
noun
pho·bia
| \ ˈfō-bē-ə
\
\
Kids Definition of phobia
: an unreasonable, abnormal, and lasting fear of something
phobia
noun
pho·bia
| \ ˈfō-bē-ə
\
\
Medical Definition of phobia
: an exaggerated and often disabling fear usually inexplicable to the subject and having sometimes a logical but usually an illogical or symbolic object, class of objects, or situation — compare compulsion, obsession
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