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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For almost a century, since the dawn of mass screen entertainment, society has passed through waves of panic over media’s effects on children, which have often coincided with panics over the effects of various kinds of mothering.—
Jean Garnett,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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Last January, a three-day raid in Kern County where undocumented laborers were arrested set off panic in the Central Valley and other farming regions with large immigrant workforces.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But in 2022, the Guidestones became a flashpoint that resulted in a real-world act of domestic terror – a mystery that to this day, has never been solved.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
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On Sunday morning, the usual crowds filled the streets as bars and nightclubs were closing in Sacramento when the sound of rapid-fire gunshots sent people running in terror.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mergen said recruitment to the DOJ had become harder over his decades there, as government shutdowns created anxiety about working at the department, and as nonprofits became more competitive in their salaries.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Where academic pressures run high, so does the money and the parental anxiety.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Which would be fine if at least some scares arrived earlier, rather than being held in reserve for so long.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
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In the aftermath, Harriet has an unexplainable health scare, bringing her four estranged children to the family home to care for her.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The 1390 Super Duke RR is leaner and better appointed for handling than the regular Super Duke R, and is sure to give your insurer a proper fright.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Apr. 2026
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Dark, eerie, and paranoid (for good reason), the eight-episode season shifts back and forth from the casual grimness of an unwelcoming reality to the shocking frights of a stoner’s worst nightmare (the latter of which is shrewdly motivated by Rachel regularly smoking pot).—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Phobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobia. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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