as in panic
an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something
His fear of crowds eventually developed into a phobia.
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Recent Examples of phobia
Also, those with insect phobias should consider this when planning a visit.
—
Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Despite all these benefits, snakes are among humans’ top phobias.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
The idea stems from a very specific phobia.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
The phobia impacts around 25 million Americans.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for phobia
Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026
Despite all these benefits, snakes are among humans’ top phobias.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 15 Mar. 2026
The idea stems from a very specific phobia.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
The phobia impacts around 25 million Americans.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for phobia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phobia
Noun
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The onboard camera, sending video back to the remote pilot in real time, captures his panic.—
David L. Stern,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
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In the years following, Beijing funded or armed fellow communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, causing panic in Washington and other Western capitals as the ideological struggles of the Cold War rippled across Asia.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Noun
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LaBeouf’s campaign of terror ended when he was arrested for punching several people outside the Royal Street Inn & R Bar.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
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The sheer terror of marathon training certainly kept me off cigarettes for a solid six months.—
Kimberly McCreight,
Time,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
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There's some drama between friends, a few health scares and a big blow-up between Nick and his then-wife Anne, with the episode itself serving as a reminder of what the crew lost the season prior.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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San Pedro scored five runs in the seventh to give the Highlanders a little scare.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Copyright 2025, all frights reserved.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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In set-pieces involving the Pooka, dark lighting and strong use of shadow results in some scenes that can give younger viewers a genuine fright.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobia. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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