claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə 
1
: abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces
2
: a feeling of discomfort or discontent caused by being in a limiting or restrictive situation or environment
While recovering in the hospital, she recognizes the claustrophobia of her working-class life, shared with a suffocatingly affectionate mother and a dud of a dad.—
Barbara Tritel
Barbara TritelExamples of claustrophobia in a Sentence
She doesn't go in elevators because of her claustrophobia.
the claustrophobia of small-town life
Recent Examples on the Web
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And size isn't the only thing that matters when choosing a room to drench: A dark room can add to a feeling of claustrophobia and cause materials to feel oppressive instead of inspiring.
—Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2025
But by stripping the story down to its core elements — supernatural powers, madness, claustrophobia — Kubrick opened viewers’ minds to a treasure trove of possible interpretations, many of which were compiled in the wonderfully labyrinthine documentary Room 237.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Does sinking into a soft mattress feel like cloud nine, or trigger your claustrophobia?
—Heather Cruickshank, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
From an impasse that threatens to close us down, shut us in, keep us below, in a place of anxiety, claustrophobia, failure, and regret?
—Nicole Krauss, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
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Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Feb. 2025
But by stripping the story down to its core elements — supernatural powers, madness, claustrophobia — Kubrick opened viewers’ minds to a treasure trove of possible interpretations, many of which were compiled in the wonderfully labyrinthine documentary Room 237.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Does sinking into a soft mattress feel like cloud nine, or trigger your claustrophobia?
—Heather Cruickshank, SELF, 21 Nov. 2024
From an impasse that threatens to close us down, shut us in, keep us below, in a place of anxiety, claustrophobia, failure, and regret?
—Nicole Krauss, Harper's Magazine, 2 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for claustrophobia
Articles Related to claustrophobia
Cite this Entry
“Claustrophobia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/claustrophobia. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə
: abnormal fear of being in closed or narrow spaces
claustrophobic
adjective
-ˈfō-bik
Medical Definition
claustrophobia
noun
claus·tro·pho·bia
ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bē-ə
: abnormal dread of being in closed or narrow spaces
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