claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə 
1
: abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces
2
: a feeling of discomfort or discontent caused by being in a limiting or restrictive situation or environment
While recovering in the hospital, she recognizes the claustrophobia of her working-class life, shared with a suffocatingly affectionate mother and a dud of a dad.—
Barbara Tritel
Barbara TritelExamples of claustrophobia in a Sentence
She doesn't go in elevators because of her claustrophobia.
the claustrophobia of small-town life
Recent Examples on the Web
As someone who struggles with claustrophobia, indulging in my passion for travel can be challenging, particularly during long-haul flights.
—Karthika Gupta, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2024
Patients with claustrophobia, or movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, may not be suitable candidates for awake surgeries and require general anesthesia.
—Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
The tour issues from her 2022 album of the same name, a dance record born out of a need to escape the ennui and claustrophobia of the pandemic’s prime time.
—Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2023
Despite debuting 125 years ago, Anton Chekhov’s drama of claustrophobia, resentment and despair feels perfectly suited to present day America.
—Jon Robin Baitz, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Cowperthwaite doesn’t do enough with the inherent claustrophobia of the space station, though the visuals are on point, from a harrowing space walk to fix an antenna to conditions on Earth that become increasingly hellish.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024
Director Ridley Scott embraces the claustrophobia, embedding his Xenomorph into the fabric of the ship and, by extension, our nightmares.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2023
The claustrophobia is palpable and perfectly executed as hot mess express Andri watches his investigation and his personal relationships unravel.
—David Faris, theweek, 14 Jan. 2024
Being a woman of color in a predominantly white, rural town had always weighed on her, but a recent job loss and serious car crash had made the claustrophobia a new type of unbearable.
—Lauren Peace, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024
Karthika Gupta, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2024
Patients with claustrophobia, or movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, may not be suitable candidates for awake surgeries and require general anesthesia.
—Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
The tour issues from her 2022 album of the same name, a dance record born out of a need to escape the ennui and claustrophobia of the pandemic’s prime time.
—Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2023
Despite debuting 125 years ago, Anton Chekhov’s drama of claustrophobia, resentment and despair feels perfectly suited to present day America.
—Jon Robin Baitz, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Cowperthwaite doesn’t do enough with the inherent claustrophobia of the space station, though the visuals are on point, from a harrowing space walk to fix an antenna to conditions on Earth that become increasingly hellish.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024
Director Ridley Scott embraces the claustrophobia, embedding his Xenomorph into the fabric of the ship and, by extension, our nightmares.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 9 Nov. 2023
The claustrophobia is palpable and perfectly executed as hot mess express Andri watches his investigation and his personal relationships unravel.
—David Faris, theweek, 14 Jan. 2024
Being a woman of color in a predominantly white, rural town had always weighed on her, but a recent job loss and serious car crash had made the claustrophobia a new type of unbearable.
—Lauren Peace, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'claustrophobia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near claustrophobia
Cite this Entry
“Claustrophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/claustrophobia. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə
: abnormal fear of being in closed or narrow spaces
claustrophobic
adjective
-ˈfō-bik
Medical Definition
claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə
: abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces
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