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

The move to mirror the suffocation of fame and family name by making the show’s scope increasingly claustrophobic is not untrodden territory. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2026

In Remy Bumppo Theatre Company’s new production of Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 play, directed by Marti Lyons, the design team takes this line to heart, using a monochrome purple palette to represent Hedda’s claustrophobic world (scenic design by Joe Schermoly). —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026

My photographs—portraits, landscapes, still lives, and spaces both vast and claustrophobic—reveal cultural double standards and impermanence. —Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026

The claustrophobic horror film, made for under $3 million, raked in roughly $17 million domestically in its opening weekend. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 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