Phobia Meaning
/ˈfəʊ.bi.ə/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAn irrational, abnormal, or obsessive fear (of something).
nounAn aversion or dislike (of something).
Sentence Examples
I have a phobia for that.
He has a phobia of Jaffa Cakes.
Sami has developed a weird phobia of cars.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her extreme ____ of heights kept her from climbing the tall ladder.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her ____ of spiders was so severe that she could not enter a room without checking every corner.
Word Origin & History
First attested in c. 1790, from words ending in -phobia, ultimately from Ancient Greek φόβος (phóbos, “fear”). Compare ism, from -ism, itis, from -itis, and ana, from -ana.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"It was when anthropophobia set in, when he was made uneasy by people who walked too close to him, that, sagely viewing his list and seeing how many phobias were now checked, he permitted himself to rest."
— 1925, Sinclair Lewis, Arrowsmith:
"Some patients have the phobia of light, and others have the phobia of darkness. Another common aversion is that of high places. The phobiac of this type can not sit in the gallery […]"
— 1914, McClure's Magazine, page 140:
"For some children and their parents, however, it can be difficult to determine when fears are typical and when they are developing into more serious phobias or anxiety disorders. […] But once fears become debilitating or impair daily function, they can be classified as a phobia or anxiety disorder, said Thomas Ollendick, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Virginia Tech, who is known for his work with children and adolescents."
— 2025 February 5, Julianna Bragg, “Does my child have an anxiety disorder? Here are the signs parents should look out for”, in CNN:
"For as interviewer Than Win Htut expressed it, “misunderstandings about, and phobia of, gay life and homosexuality are very common in Burma.” Than Win Htut went on to observe that in Burma[…]"
— 2009 June 26, Michael G. Peletz, Gender Pluralism: Southeast Asia Since Early Modern Times, Routledge, →ISBN, page 162:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her extreme ____ of heights kept her from climbing the tall ladder.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her ____ of spiders was so severe that she could not enter a room without checking every corner.