claustrophobic

adjective

claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik How to pronounce claustrophobic (audio)
1
: affected with or inclined to claustrophobia
2
: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia
claustrophobically adverb

Examples of claustrophobic in a Sentence

The theater can be a little claustrophobic when it's full. She doesn't go in elevators because she is claustrophobic.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
My photographs—portraits, landscapes, still lives, and spaces both vast and claustrophobic—reveal cultural double standards and impermanence. Literary Hub, 6 Feb. 2026 The claustrophobic horror film, made for under $3 million, raked in roughly $17 million domestically in its opening weekend. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026 Some might find this stifling or claustrophobic, but being forced to live together day by day may also stimulate openness and mutual respect. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026 Life easily can become claustrophobic. Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for claustrophobic

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of claustrophobic was circa 1889

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Cite this Entry

“Claustrophobic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/claustrophobic. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

claustrophobic

1 of 2 adjective
claus·​tro·​pho·​bic ˌklȯ-strə-ˈfō-bik How to pronounce claustrophobic (audio)
1
: suffering from or inclined to claustrophobia
2
: inducing or suggesting claustrophobia
claustrophobically adverb

claustrophobic

2 of 2 noun

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