arachnophobia
noun
Sherry Boas
Did you know?
In Greek mythology, Arachne was a weaver of such skill that she dared to challenge the goddess Athena at her craft. When she won their competition by weaving a tapestry disrespectful to the gods, the enraged Athena tore it to shreds, and in despair Arachne hanged herself. Out of pity, Athena loosened the rope, which became a cobweb, and changed Arachne into a spider. Today, the spiders, scorpions, mites, and ticks all belong to the class known as arachnids. Arachnophobia is the most common of the animal phobias; but many people suffer from similar phobias regarding snakes (ophidiophobia), dogs (cynophobia), and mice and rats (musophobia).
Examples of arachnophobia in a Sentence
Evan Mealins,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Sep. 2025
What a mother discovered in her baby's crib one night brought her arachnophobia out in full force.
—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
For someone with arachnophobia, this sounds like a worst nightmare.
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Simon Makin,
Scientific American,
28 Oct. 2024
Texas is home to some interesting critters, and those with arachnophobia will hate to hear that tarantulas are among them.
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Ryan Maxin,
Austin American-Statesman,
5 June 2024
Spidey Senses Pumpkin Besides heights, small spaces, and needles, the fear of spiders, otherwise known as arachnophobia, is one of the most common frights.
—
Annie O’Sullivan,
Woman's Day,
18 Aug. 2023
Interestingly, the game’s accessibility features include an arachnophobia mode that will eliminate the game’s spider enemies.
—
Ash Parrish,
The Verge,
19 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Arachnophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arachnophobia. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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arachnophobia
noun
