as in panics
an extremely strong dislike or fear of someone or something
His fear of crowds eventually developed into a phobia.
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Recent Examples of phobias
Support for political violence was even higher among individuals who harbored multiple hateful phobias, according to his survey of over 9,300 adults.
—
Juliana Kim, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Experts at PetMD say that dogs may develop fears or phobias for several reasons.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Juliana Kim, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Experts at PetMD say that dogs may develop fears or phobias for several reasons.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for phobias
Noun
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Fletcher, who has been touring a number of the world’s hot spots, used his first trip to Haiti to meet with victims of the gangs’ terrors.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
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The violence, however, is nothing compared to the overall creature effects with the show’s new cast of extraterrestrial terrors.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Now, a grown-up Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) faces new and familiar frights after her equally goth daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), opens a portal to the Netherworld and reawakens everyone's favorite pinstriped ghost.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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Haunted Scream Park opening weekend 'Tis the season for frights and delights!—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Other introspective angles are explored during Mariano’s audiences with his friend the Pope (Rufin Doh Zeyenouin), a serene Black man with a head crowned by a bundle of silver dreads, who tools around the Vatican on a motorbike.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Phobias.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/phobias. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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