as in afraid
of, relating to, or having an extremely strong fear or dislike of someone or something
She is phobic about heights.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of phobic
Ashton Kutcher plays Peter, a commitment-phobic New York business guru who’d rather be a novelist.
—
Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2023
Paulie wore tracksuits, slept with hookers, was phobic about germs, hated cats and watched television in a chair covered with plastic.
—Anita Gates, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022
Paulie wore track suits, slept with hookers, was phobic about germs, hated cats and watched television in a chair covered with plastic.
—New York Times, 8 July 2022
Symptom provocation in dental anxiety using cross-phobic video stimulation.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2011
See all Example Sentences for phobic 
Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2023
Paulie wore tracksuits, slept with hookers, was phobic about germs, hated cats and watched television in a chair covered with plastic.
—Anita Gates, BostonGlobe.com, 9 July 2022
Paulie wore track suits, slept with hookers, was phobic about germs, hated cats and watched television in a chair covered with plastic.
—New York Times, 8 July 2022
Symptom provocation in dental anxiety using cross-phobic video stimulation.
—Ncbi Rofl, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2011
See all Example Sentences for phobic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phobic
Adjective
-
Not being afraid to ask others for help was the most common answer, along with being confident.Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
-
The resulting atmosphere of mistrust can leave immigrants afraid to report crimes or seek help in dangerous situations for fear of deportation.Brian Bennett, TIME, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The latter means a sense of awe and wonder rather than being scared of God.Walt Shelton, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
-
Test Your Concept With A Limited Audience My number one tip for those wanting to start a business but are unsure or scared is to start small and validate your idea.Expert Panel®, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Ben Affleck is not worried about AI taking over Hollywood.Zack Sharf, Variety, 18 Nov. 2024
-
At the same time, Democrats hoped that all their voters would be willing to cast their ballot for democracy, not realizing that many working-class Americans, even the liberal ones, are more worried about the economy and inflation.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Julia Roberts had a timid initial reaction to Leave the World Behind.Raven Brunner, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024
-
But, yes, there still is a timid approach from the perimeter.Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near phobic
Cite this Entry
“Phobic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobic. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share