Phobias in English – A to Z List with Meanings, Types, and Examples

What Is a Phobia?

A phobia is an intense and irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation. Unlike general fear or anxiety, phobias are more severe and often cause people to avoid the source of their fear entirely. Phobias can affect everyday life and communication, which makes it important to know and understand them—especially in English-speaking environments.

In English, many phobias are formed using the suffix “-phobia”, which means “fear of” in Greek.

Structure of Phobia Words in English

Most phobia names follow this structure:

[Greek/Latin root] + -phobia

• Arachnophobia → arachno (spiders) + phobia (fear) = Fear of spiders

• Hydrophobia → hydro (water) + phobia (fear) = Fear of water

Some phobia terms are commonly used in everyday English, while others are more medical or scientific.

Types of Phobias in English

Phobias are usually classified into three main types: specific phobias, social phobia, and agoraphobia. Each type affects people differently and may appear in both everyday situations and specific environments. Understanding these types will help you recognize how to describe them in English conversations or writing.

1. Specific Phobias (Simple Phobias)

These are the most common type of phobias. They involve an intense fear of a particular object, situation, or creature. People with specific phobias often go out of their way to avoid the source of fear.

Common examples:

• Arachnophobia – fear of spiders

• Acrophobia – fear of heights

• Claustrophobia – fear of small spaces

• Nyctophobia – fear of the dark

• Trypanophobia – fear of needles

These phobias often develop in childhood and can continue into adulthood.

2. Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)

This type of phobia is the fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated in social situations. It’s more than just shyness — it can seriously affect daily life, making it hard to speak in public or meet new people.

Examples of situations that may cause social phobia:

• Public speaking

• Eating in front of others

• Talking to strangers

• Attending social events

People with social phobia may avoid these situations completely or feel extreme stress when facing them.

3. Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in places where escape might be difficult or where help might not be available in an emergency. This fear often leads to avoiding open spaces or crowded places.

People with agoraphobia may fear:

• Shopping malls

• Public transportation

• Large crowds

• Being far from home

In severe cases, someone with agoraphobia may not leave their home at all.

A to Z List of Phobias in English

A

• Acrophobia – Fear of heights

• Aerophobia – Fear of flying

• Agoraphobia – Fear of open or crowded spaces

• Aichmophobia – Fear of sharp objects

• Amaxophobia – Fear of driving

• Androphobia – Fear of men

• Anthophobia – Fear of flowers

• Anthropophobia – Fear of people or society

• Aquaphobia – Fear of water

• Arachnophobia – Fear of spiders

• Astraphobia – Fear of thunder and lightning

• Autophobia – Fear of being alone

B

• Bacillophobia – Fear of germs or bacteria

• Bibliophobia – Fear of books

• Bogyphobia – Fear of the bogeyman

• Brontophobia – Fear of thunder

C

• Cacophobia – Fear of ugliness

• Catagelophobia – Fear of being ridiculed

• Cibophobia – Fear of food

• Claustrophobia – Fear of small or closed spaces

• Coulrophobia – Fear of clowns

• Cyberphobia – Fear of computers or technology

D

• Dentophobia – Fear of dentists

• Dromophobia – Fear of crossing streets

• Dysmorphophobia – Fear of having a body deformity

E

• Emetophobia – Fear of vomiting

• Enochlophobia – Fear of crowds

• Entomophobia – Fear of insects

• Ereuthophobia – Fear of blushing

G

• Galeophobia – Fear of sharks

• Gamophobia – Fear of marriage or commitment

• Gephyrophobia – Fear of bridges

• Glossophobia – Fear of public speaking

• Gymnophobia – Fear of nudity

H

• Haphephobia – Fear of being touched

• Heliophobia – Fear of sunlight

• Hemophobia – Fear of blood

• Herpetophobia – Fear of reptiles or snakes

• Hydrophobia – Fear of water (also used in rabies)

I

• Iatrophobia – Fear of doctors

• Insectophobia – Fear of insects

• Isolophobia – Fear of being alone or isolated

K

• Kinemortophobia – Fear of zombies

L

• Lachanophobia – Fear of vegetables

• Lilapsophobia – Fear of tornadoes or hurricanes

• Lockiophobia – Fear of childbirth

M

• Mageirocophobia – Fear of cooking

• Mysophobia – Fear of germs or dirt

N

• Necrophobia – Fear of death or dead things

• Noctiphobia – Fear of the night

• Nomophobia – Fear of being without a mobile phone

• Nosocomephobia – Fear of hospitals

• Nyctophobia – Fear of the dark

O

• Obesophobia – Fear of gaining weight

• Ophidiophobia – Fear of snakes

• Ornithophobia – Fear of birds

P

• Panphobia – Fear of everything (non-specific fear)

• Pathophobia – Fear of disease

• Pedophobia – Fear of children

• Phasmophobia – Fear of ghosts

• Phobophobia – Fear of phobias

S

• Scopophobia – Fear of being stared at

• Selenophobia – Fear of the moon

• Sociophobia – Fear of social evaluation or situations

• Somniphobia – Fear of sleep

T

• Technophobia – Fear of technology

• Thanatophobia – Fear of death

• Thalassophobia – Fear of deep water or oceans

• Trypanophobia – Fear of injections

• Tropophobia – Fear of moving or change

V

• Venustraphobia – Fear of beautiful women

• Verminophobia – Fear of germs (similar to mysophobia)

X

• Xenophobia – Fear of strangers or foreigners

• Xylophobia – Fear of forests or wooden objects

Z

• Zoophobia – Fear of animals

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the difference between fear and phobia?

Fear is a natural feeling that helps us stay safe.
Phobia is a strong, irrational fear of something, even when there is no real danger.

Example: It’s normal to fear snakes, but if someone can’t even look at a picture of one, that may be a phobia.

2. What are the most common phobias?

Some common phobias include:

• Arachnophobia – fear of spiders

• Acrophobia – fear of heights

• Claustrophobia – fear of closed spaces

• Social Phobia – fear of social situations

3. How can I use phobia words in a sentence?

You can use phobia words like this:

• He has arachnophobia, so he avoids basements.

• I suffer from social phobia and don’t like public speaking.

• She is afraid of heights. She has acrophobia.

4. Do phobia names always end in “-phobia”?

Most do, but not all fears are commonly called by their scientific names in daily conversation. For example:

• Instead of “acrophobia,” many say “fear of heights.” Both are correct!

5. Are phobias used in daily English?

Yes! Native speakers often talk about fears using everyday phrases like:

• I’m scared of flying.

• He has a fear of public speaking.

• She panics in small spaces.

Phobias Quiz

1. Someone with arachnophobia is afraid of _______.
a) water
b) spiders
c) birds

2. If you have claustrophobia, you don’t like _______.
a) wide spaces
b) being alone
c) small, closed spaces

3. Glossophobia is the fear of _______.
a) heights
b) public speaking
c) writing

4. A person with acrophobia would avoid _______.
a) loud music
b) elevators
c) high places

5. Nyctophobia is a fear of _______.
a) the night or darkness
b) swimming
c) crowds

6. If someone has social phobia, they may feel uncomfortable _______.
a) in social situations
b) near water
c) with animals

7. Trypanophobia is a common fear of _______.
a) injections or needles
b) airplanes
c) ghosts

8. A person who avoids deep water might have _______.
a) technophobia
b) thalassophobia
c) xenophobia

9. Someone who fears being without their phone might have _______.
a) nomophobia
b) agoraphobia
c) hydrophobia

10. If you are scared of storms or thunder, you might have _______.
a) panphobia
b) astraphobia
c) pathophobia

Quiz Answers

1) spiders
2) small, closed spaces
3) public speaking
4) high places
5) the night or darkness
6) in social situations
7) injections or needles
8) thalassophobia
9) nomophobia
10) astraphobia