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claustrophobic

adjective

claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik How to pronounce claustrophobic (audio)
1
: affected with or inclined to claustrophobia
2
: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia
claustrophobically 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While there are no windows, the space never feels claustrophobic—the layout is open enough to give each table and seating area room to breathe. Abby Price, Southern Living, 17 Nov. 2025 Spoilers ahead for Malice Prime Video’s Malice, a six-episode psychological thriller starring David Duchovny and Jack Whitehall, out on November 14, begins with a sunlit family getaway and morphs into a darker and far more claustrophobic story. Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 14 Nov. 2025 The one place where the new mixes suffer is in the disco and reggae songs, genres that sounded purposefully claustrophobic in the Seventies, either as a side effect of musical taste, cocaine, or both. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 13 Nov. 2025 The Wednesday experience takes place in a dark, hazy room, which may not make for a positive experience among the anxious and/or claustrophobic. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 12 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for claustrophobic

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of claustrophobic was circa 1889

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Cite this Entry

“Claustrophobic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/claustrophobic. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Medical Definition

claustrophobic

1 of 2 adjective
claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik How to pronounce claustrophobic (audio)
1
: suffering from or inclined to claustrophobia
2
: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia
claustrophobically adverb

claustrophobic

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on claustrophobic

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