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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Victor Wembanyama protected the rim, San Antonio’s defense crowded every touch and the Spurs spent most of the night making the Knicks look stuck between patience and panic.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
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The two roles underline the actor’s formidable versatility, all skittish panic in the former and arrogant sociopathy in the other.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
Noun
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These days, fear and absurdity walk hand in hand, and anyone who’s scrolled a news feed knows how quickly abject terror can morph into cathartic giggles.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
17 June 2026
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The military retaliation followed an April 26 terror attack, when an explosive device detonated on a passenger bus traveling along the Pan-American Highway in the volatile Cauca region.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2026
Noun
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For young children, anxiety might show up as physical complaints like tummy aches or headaches, while older kids may feel nervous and struggle to concentrate.—
Kimberly Zapata,
Parents,
14 June 2026
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Tasks can include smelling dangerously high or low glucose levels, smelling mood swings, anxiety and depression, smelling an impending seizure and many other tasks.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
14 June 2026
Noun
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After a first half for the ages, USMNT fans got a scare when star Christian Pulisic did not return for the second half of the United States' World Cup opener against Paraguay.—
Matt Reigle,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
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Mancini also faced a difficult health scare in the midst of his big-league career.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
12 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 20 Jun. 2026.
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