claustrophobic

adjective

claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik 

1

: affected with or inclined to claustrophobia

2

: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia

claustrophobically

ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of claustrophobic in a Sentence

The theater can be a little claustrophobic when it's full.

She doesn't go in elevators because she is claustrophobic.

Recent Examples on the Web

For the first two weeks of filming, the actor suffered panic attacks, until he eventually got used to the claustrophobic sensation. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Generally, a great anthology wraparound should give the audience room to breathe — or gradually make the entire movie feel claustrophobic. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026

The South London artist channels Disney soundtrack tropes into claustrophobic strings and drones, while a handful of vocal tracks hint darkly at real-world family drama. — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026

The resulting tension turns the villa into a claustrophobic pressure cooker. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for claustrophobic

• anaerobic
• homophobic
• hydrophobic
• aerobic
• phobic

Medical Definition

claustrophobic

1 of 2 adjective

claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik 

1

: suffering from or inclined to claustrophobia

2

: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia

claustrophobically

-bi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

claustrophobic

2 of 2 noun

: claustrophobe