phobia

1 of 2

noun

pho·​bia ˈfō-bē-ə 

: an exaggerated usually inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular object, class of objects, or situation

-phobia

2 of 2

noun combining form

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

On the contrary, hypnosis is a healing tool that helps people with anxiety, phobias, and everything in between. —Essence, 7 Jan. 2025

Unexplained phobias or aversions have also been thought to have been transferred over from a past existence. —Saskia Solomon, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025

Alleging Child Labor Abuse Interestingly, these reports also mention phobias or preferences that are associated with the past life’s mode of death or lifestyle. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

Happy memories were pleasant, but others led to phobias (of bird droppings, for instance). —Matthew Hutson, The New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

-phobia

Noun combining form

New Latin, from Late Latin, from Greek, from -phobos fearing, from phobos fear, flight, from phebesthai to flee; akin to Lithuanian bėgti to flee, Old Church Slavic běžati

First Known Use

Noun

1786, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

phobia

noun

pho·​bia ˈfō-bē-ə 

: an unreasonable, abnormal, and lasting fear of something

Medical Definition

phobia

noun

pho·​bia ˈfō-bē-ə 

: 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