Claustrophobia Meaning
/ˌklɒs.trəˈfəʊ.bi.ə/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe abnormal fear of closed, tight places.
Sentence Examples
I'd suffer from claustrophobia.
She suffers from claustrophobia.
I hope you don't suffer from claustrophobia.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Avoiding elevators and small rooms is common for someone with severe ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He suffers from ____ and cannot stay in small enclosed spaces.
Word Origin & History
From Latin claustrum (“a shut-in place”), from Latin claudō (“to shut, close; to imprison, confine”) + -phobia. First attested in the British Medical Journal.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"She complained of emaciation, nervousness, tenderness of the scalp, weakness of the back, claustrophobia, and other morbid fears."
— 1902 JANUARY, WM. BALDWIN KEYES, D.D.S., “Pyorrhea Alveolaris With Special Reference To Practical Medicine.”, in The Dental Cosmos, volume XLIV, number 1, page 4:
"The first scenes, which take place in a minitheater that keeps shrinking, will be painful for anyone with even a tinge of claustrophobia."
— 2007 June 16, Ben Brantley, “An Artist’s Look Back at Her Life, Now Ended”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 07 Jan 2020:
"(Editor’s note: Those who suffer from claustrophobia, kabourophobia, arachnophobia or thalassophobia are advised to skip the above trailer.)"
— 2024 August 11, Andrew Torgan, Daniel Wine, “Start your week smart: Gymnast stripped of medal, Brazil plane crash, Trump campaign hack, fighting inside Russia”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2024:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Avoiding elevators and small rooms is common for someone with severe ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
He suffers from ____ and cannot stay in small enclosed spaces.