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
-
With the rise of tablets and tech worldwide, toys have begun to become obsolete, causing mass panic among toys.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
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Brokers often list speculative tickets for those tours before an on-sale even starts, hoping some more desperate fans will buy in a panic.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2026
Noun
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In the end, reverence for the likes of Genghis Khan, Hitler, and Attila the Hun mistakes fear for respect, destruction for disruption, and raw terror for true greatness.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
-
Set five years after the Ghostbusters took the Statue of Liberty for a walk, young, scrappy New Yorkers face a new wave of supernatural terror hitting the Big Apple.—
Kevin Giraud,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Noun
-
As burnout, anxiety and digital overload continue to climb, many are discovering that recovery requires doing less—not more.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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In a neighborhood sometimes marked by gangs and violence, and in a time of heightened anxiety over immigration enforcement, the Fiesta Back of the Yards acts as a beacon of light, offering food, social services, music and fun in a safe environment.—
Allison Kiehl,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Noun
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According to the Independent, the opening episodes of the fifth season centered on Clarkson's October 2024 heart health scare and his recovery from emergency surgery.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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Jennifer Lopez reflected on a health scare early in her career that reshaped her approach to work-life balance.—
Charlie Carballo,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Noun
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Both O’Flynn and Rhys have had spotlight episodes so far this season, but will Emmys voters see the pathos and creativity behind the laughs and frights?—
William Earl,
Variety,
11 June 2026
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Copyright 2025, all frights reserved.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobia. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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