A phobiaan extreme, irrational fear of a particular thing or situation is an anxiety disorder marked by intense, irrationalnot based on reason or sensible thinking fear of something specific or of certain social situations. In everyday English, people also use the word more looselyin an imprecise or relaxed way, not strictly or exactly for a strong dislike or fear of something.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈfoʊbiə/
Easy pronunciation: FOH-bee-uh (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Noun meaning an extreme, irrational fear.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Phobia Meaning
A strong and irrational fear of something.
Part of speech: noun
Definition: An anxiety disorder marked by extreme, irrational fear of something simple or of social situations.
Example: She has a phobia of flying and avoids airplanes whenever possible.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- phobic disorder — Medical term for a phobia as an anxiety disorder.
- phobic neurosis — Older clinical term for a phobia.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Phobia Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- phobic disorder
- phobic neurosis
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Using phobia for any ordinary dislike. In careful usage, it refers to an irrational fear or an anxiety disorder.
- Confusing phobia with fear: fear is general, while a phobia is usually more intense and disproportionate.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the meaning of phobia?
A phobia is an irrational, intense fear of something, often a specific object, situation, or social setting.
What are synonyms for phobia?
In the medical sense, phobic disorder and phobic neurosis are synonyms or near-synonyms supplied by the source data.
Is phobia always a medical term?
Not always in casual speech, but in precise usage it usually refers to an anxiety disorder or strong irrational fear.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.