About Phobia
Common Phobias in English – A phobia is an abnormal and extreme fear of a particular thing or situation, especially one that cannot be reasonably explained. Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder and causes significant distress. People who have a phobia will experience an intense fear of a certain object or situation. Several people may have fears about certain situations in their life. These fears are common and are different from phobias as the phobias generally last for a longer time.
There are three types of common phobias in English – Specific phobia, Social phobia and Agoraphobia
Specific phobia – fear of objects or situations
These common phobias are caused by a negative experience with the object or situation.
Common fears in this area are, fear of spiders, fear of snakes, and fear of heights etc.,
These phobias are again categorized into four areas: animal type, natural environment type, situational type and blood-injection-injury type.
These phobias are commonly found among children in the age group of 10 to 13 years.
Common symptoms of the specific phobias are losing control, panicking and fainting.
Exposure therapy is recommended to treat specific phobias.
Social phobia – fear of public speaking, meeting new people or other social situations
Social phobia is a social anxiety disorder (SAD), where the person faces an irrational fear in one or more social situations.
The people who suffer from this phobia commonly feel that other people judge or evaluate them negatively.
It causes major distress and affects the parts of their daily life and so people feel embarrassed and humiliated.
People feel excessive shyness and avoid activities like social interaction, especially small groups, dating, parties, talking to strangers, interviews, etc.
Resultantly, people isolate themselves from others to avoid such situations.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the recommended first-line treatment for social anxiety disorder.
Agoraphobia – fear of being outside
This phobia is an anxiety disorder generally caused by a fear of leaving home or a small familiar ‘safe’ area.
The people suffer from this fear when they become aware that they are unsafe in unfamiliar environments like wide-open spaces, crowds, or traveling and cannot be able to escape.
Resultantly, people avoid these areas and are confined to their comfort and safe place, usually their home.
It is very difficult to cure agoraphobia without treatment.
Recommended treatment for this phobia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and also joining self-help and support groups will benefit the people who suffer from this phobia.
List of Common Phobias in English
PHOBIA |
FEAR OF…. |
Common phobias in English – A |
|
| Ablutophobia | Strong fear of bathing, washing or cleaning |
| Achievemephobia | Strong fear of success |
| Achluophobia | Strong fear of darkness |
| Achondroplasiaphobia | Strong fear of midgets |
| Acousticophobia | Strong fear of noise |
| Acquaphobia | Strong fear of water |
| Acrophobia | Strong fear of heights |
| Aeronausiphobia | Strong fear of aeroplanes |
| Aerophobia | Strong fear of flying |
| Agliophobia | Strong fear of pain |
| Agoraphobia | Strong fear of open or public places |
| Agrizoophobia | Strong fear of wild animals |
| Agyiophobia | Strong fear of streets |
| Agyrophobia | Strong fear of crossing the road |
| Aibohphobia | Strong fear of palindromes |
| Aichmophobia | Strong fear of sharp and pointy things (needles, knives, etc.) |
| Ailurophobia | Strong fear of cats |
| Alektorophobia | Strong fear of chickens |
| Algophobia | Strong fear of pain |
| Alliumphobia | Strong fear of garlic |
| Allodoxaphobia | Strong fear of opinions |
| Altophobia | Strong fear of heights |
| Amathophobia | Strong fear of dust |
| Amaxophobia | Strong fear of being in or riding in a vehicle |
| Anatidaephobia | Strong fear that one is being watched by a duck |
| Androphobia | Strong fear of men |
| Anginophobia | Strong fear of choking, angina or chest pain |
| Anglophobia | Strong fear of England or the English |
| Anthophobia | Strong fear of flowers |
| Anthropophobia | Strong fear of people |
| Antlophobia | Strong fear of floods |
| Anuptaphobia | Strong fear of staying single |
| Apiphobia | Strong fear of bees |
| Aquaphobia | Strong fear of water |
| Arachnophobia | Strong fear of spiders |
| Astraphobia | Strong fear of thunder and lightning |
| Athazagoraphobia | Strong fear of being forgotten or ignored |
| Atychiphobia | Strong fear of failure |
| Aulophobia | Strong fear of flutes |
| Aurophobia | Strong fear of gold |
| Automatonophobia | Strong fear of inanimate objects that look like living creatures (statue, figure, robot..) |
| Automysophobia | Strong fear of being dirty |
| Autophobia | Strong fear of being abandoned by someone |
| Aviophobia, Aviatophobia | Strong fear of flying |
| Common phobias in English – B | |
| Bacteriophobia | Strong fear of bacteria and infection |
| Bananaphobia | Strong fear of bananas |
| Basiphobia | Strong fear of not being able to stand and walk |
| Bathophobia | Strong fear of depths |
| Batrachophobia | Strong fear of amphibians, frogs |
| Belonephobia | Strong fear of pins and needles |
| Bibliophobia | Strong fear of books |
| Botanophobia | Strong fear of plants |
| Brontophobia | Strong fear of thunder |
| Buttonphobia, Koumpounophobia | Strong fear of buttons |
Common phobias in English – C |
|
| Cacomorphobia | Strong fear of fat people |
| Cacophobia | Strong fear of ugliness and things that are ugly |
| Cancerophobia, Carcinophobia | Strong fear of cancer |
| Cardiophobia | Strong fear of heart disease |
| Carnophobia | Strong fear of meat |
| Catoptrophobia | Strong fear of mirrors |
| Cellophobia | Strong fear of beauty |
| Centrophobia | Strong fear of being in the centre |
| Chaetophobia, Hypertrichophobia, Trichopathophobia | Strong fear of hair |
| Cheimatophobia | Strong fear of cold |
| Chelonaphobia | Strong fear of turtles |
| Chionophobia | Strong fear of snow |
| Chiroptophobia | Strong fear of bats |
| Chorophobia | Strong fear of dancing |
| Chronophobia | Strong fear of time |
| Chronophobia | Strong fear of the future (time) |
| Cibophobia | Strong fear of food |
| Claustrophobia | Strong fear of enclosed spaces or small rooms |
| Clavicophobia | Strong fear of collar bones |
| Cleptophobia, Kleptophobia | Strong fear of theft |
| Climacophobia | Strong fear of staircases or of falling downstairs |
| Coasterphobia | Strong fear of roller coasters |
| Coitophobia, Genophobia | Strong fear of sexual intercourse |
| Coprostasophobia | Strong fear of constipation |
| Coulrophobia | Strong fear of clowns |
| Cryophobia | Strong fear of cold (ice, frost, etc.) |
| Crystallophobia | Strong fear of glass |
| Cyberphobia | Strong fear of fear of computers and working on them |
| Cymophobia | Strong fear of waves |
| Cynophobia | Strong fear of dogs |
Common phobias in English – D |
|
| Decidophobia | Strong fear of making a decision |
| Demonomania | Strong fear of being possessed by evil spirits |
| Demophobia | Strong fear of crowds |
| Dendrophobia | Strong fear of trees |
| Dentophobia | Strong fear of dentists |
| dermatophobia, Dermatosiophobia | Strong fear of skin disease |
| Dextrophobia | Strong fear of objects at the right side of the body |
| Diabetophobia | Strong fear of diabetes |
| Didaskaleinophobia | Strong fear of school |
| Dipsophobia | Strong fear of drinking |
| Dromophobia | Strong fear of crossing streets or wandering |
| Dysmorphophobia | Strong fear of deformity |
| Dystychiphobia | Strong fear of accidents |
| Common phobias in English – E | |
| Ecclesiophobia | Strong fear of churches |
| Ecophobia | Strong fear of one’s home |
| Electrophobia | Strong fear of electricity, electrical appliances |
| Emetophobia | Strong fear of vomiting |
| Enochlophobia | Strong fear of crowds of people or mobs |
| Entomophobia | Strong fear of insects and bugs |
| Eosophobia | Strong fear of dawn or daylight |
| Ephebiphobia | Strong fear of teenagers |
| Equinophobia | Strong fear of horses |
| Ergasiophobia,Ergophobi or Ponophobia | Strong fear of work or finding employment |
| Erythrophobia | Strong fear of blushing |
| Euphobia | Strong fear of hearing good news |
| Europhobia | Strong fear of Europe or European people |
| Common phobias in English – F | |
| Febriphobia | Strong fear of fever |
| Feminophobia | Strong fear of women |
| Ferrumphobia | Strong fear of iron, objects of iron |
| Francophobia | Strong fear of France or the French |
| Friggatriskaidekaphobia | Strong fear of Friday the 13th |
| Common phobias in English – G | |
| Galeophobia | Strong fear of sharks |
| Gamophobia | Strong fear of marriage, commitment |
| Geliophobia | Strong fear of laughter |
| Gephyrophobia | Strong fear of bridges and crossing them |
| Geraphobia | Strong fear of old age |
| Gerascophobia | Strong fear of growing older |
| Germanophobia | Strong fear of Germany or Germans |
| Gerontophobia | Strong fear of old people |
| Globophobia | Strong fear of balloons |
| Glossophobia | Strong fear of public speaking |
| Gnosiophobia | Strong fear of knowledge |
| Graphophobia | Strong fear of writing or handwriting |
| Gymnophobia or Nudophobia | Strong fear of nudity |
| Gynaephobia, (Gynophobia or Gynephobia) | Strong fear of women |
| Common phobias in English – H | |
| Hadephobia | Strong fear of hell |
| Haemetophobia | Strong fear of disease |
| Hagiophobia | Strong fear of saints and holy things |
| Hamartophobia | Strong fear of sin or sinning |
| Haphephobia | Strong fear of thieves |
| Heliophobia | Strong fear of the sun, sunlight, or any bright light |
| Hematophobia or Hemophobia | Strong fear of blood |
| Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia | Strong fear of the number 666 |
| Hierophobia | Strong fear of holy people or sacred things |
| Hippophobia | Strong fear of horses |
| Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia | Strong fear of long words |
| Hodophobia | Strong fear of travel |
| Homilophobia | Strong fear of sermons |
| Homophobia | Strong fear of same-sex love |
| Hormephobia | Strong fear of shock |
| Hydrophobophobia or Kynophobia | Strong fear of rabies |
| Hylophobia | Strong fear of trees or wood |
| Hypengyophobia | Strong fear of responsibility |
| Hypnophobia | Strong fear of sleep |
Common phobias in English – I |
|
| Iatrophobia | Strong fear of doctors or going to the doctors |
| Ichthyophobia | Strong fear of fish |
| Indophobia | Strong fear of Indians |
| Ipovlopsychophobia | Strong fear of having one’s photo taken |
| Isolophobia | Strong fear of solitude or isolation |
| Isopterophobia | Strong fear of termites or insects |
| Common phobias in English – J | |
| Japanophobia | Strong fear of Japanese |
| Judeophobia | Strong fear of Jews |
| Common phobias in English – K | |
| Kainolophobia or Kainophobia | Strong fear of anything new, novelty |
| Kakorrhaphiophobia | Strong fear of failure or defeat |
| Katagelophobia | Strong fear of ridicule |
| Kathisophobia | Strong fear of sitting down |
| Katsaridaphobia | Strong fear of cockroaches |
| Kenophobia | Strong fear of voids or empty spaces |
| Keraunophobia | Strong fear of thunder and lightning |
| Kinemortophobia | Strong fear of zombies |
| Kinetophobia | Strong fear of movement or motion |
| Kleptophobia | Strong fear of stealing |
| Koinoniphobia | Strong fear of rooms with full of people |
| Koniophobia or Amathophobia | Strong fear of dust |
| Kopophobia | Strong fear of fatigue |
| Kosmikophobia | Strong fear of cosmic phenomenon |
| Koumpounophobia | Strong fear of buttons |
| Kymophobia | Strong fear of waves |
| Kynophobia or Hydrophobophobia | Strong fear of rabies |
| Kyphophobia | Strong fear of stooping |
| Common phobias in English – L | |
| Lachanophobia | Strong fear of vegetables |
| Laliophobia, Lalophobia or Glossophobia | Strong fear of speaking or talking |
| Lepidopterophobia | Strong fear of butterflies |
| Leprophobia or Lepraphobia | Strong fear of leprosy |
| Leukophobia | Strong fear of white color |
| Levophobia or Sinistrophobia | Strong fear of objects to the left side of the body |
| Ligyrophobia, Acousticophobia or Phonophobia | Strong fear of sharp or loud noises |
| Lilapsophobia | Strong fear of tornadoes and hurricanes |
| Limnophobia | Strong fear of marshes or lakes |
| Liticaphobia or Litigaphobia | Strong fear of lawsuits |
| Lockiophobia, Parturiphobia, Tokophobia or Teratophobia | Strong fear of childbirth |
| Logizomechanophobia, Cyberphobia | Strong fear of computers |
| Logophobia | Strong fear of words |
| Lutraphobia | Strong fear of otters |
| Lygophobia | Strong fear of being in dark places or darkness |
| Common phobias in English – M | |
| Macrophobia | Strong fear of long waits |
| Mageirocophobia | Strong fear of cooking |
| Malaxophobia or Sarmassophobia | Strong fear of love play |
| Maniaphobia | Strong fear of insanity |
| Mastigophobia | Strong fear of punishment |
| Mechanophobia | Strong fear of machines |
| Megalophobia | Strong fear of large things |
| Melanophobia | Strong fear of black colour |
| Melissophobia | Strong fear of bees |
| Melophobia | Strong fear of music |
| Menemophobia | Strong fear of wind or drafts |
| Meningitophobia | Strong fear of brain disease |
| Merinthophobia | Strong fear of being bound or tied up |
| Metallophobia | Strong fear of metal |
| Metathesiophobia | Strong fear of changes |
| Metathesiophobia | Strong fear of change |
| Meteorophobia | Strong fear of meteors |
| Methyphobia | Strong fear of alcohol |
| Metrophobia | Strong fear of poetry |
| Microbiophobia, Bacillophobia | Strong fear of microbes |
| Microphobia | Strong fear of small things |
| Misophobia | Strong fear of being contaminated |
| Mnemophobia | Strong fear of memories |
| Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia | Strong fear of dirt or being contaminated |
| Monopathophobia | Strong fear of disease |
| Monophobia | Strong fear of isolation |
| Motorphobia | Strong fear of automobiles |
| Mottephobia | Strong fear of moths |
| Musophobia or Murophobia | Strong fear of mice |
| Mycophobia | Strong fear of mushrooms |
| Myrmecophobia | Strong fear of ants |
| Mysophobia | Strong fear of germs |
| Mythophobia | Strong fear of myths, stories, or false statements |
| Myxophobia, Blennophobia | Strong fear of slime |
Common phobias in English – N |
|
| Nebulaphobia | Strong fear of fog |
| Necrophobia | Strong fear of death and the dead |
| Neophobia, Cainophobia, Centophobia or Kainolophobia | Strong fear of novelty |
| Nomophobia | Strong fear of losing contact with mobile phone |
| Nosocomephobia | Strong fear of hospitals |
| Nosophobia | Strong fear of transferring diseases |
| Nostophobia | Strong fear of returning home |
| Novercaphobia | Strong fear of your step-mother |
| Nudophobia or Gymnophobia | Strong fear of nudity |
| Numerophobia | Strong fear of numbers and calculations |
| Nyctophobia, Achluophobia or Lygophobia | Strong fear of the night or of darkness |
Common phobias in English – O |
|
| Obesophobia | Strong fear of gaining weight |
| Ochlophobia | Strong fear of crowds |
| Octophobia | Strong fear of the number 8 |
| Odynophobia | Strong fear of pain |
| Ombrophobia | Strong fear of rain |
| Omphalophobia | Strong fear of the navel or belly buttons |
| Oneirogmophobia | Strong fear of wet dreams |
| Ophidiophobia | Strong fear of snakes |
| Ornithophobia | Strong fear of birds |
Common phobias in English – P |
|
| Panophobia | Strong fear of everything or fear that terrible things will happen |
| Papaphobia | Strong fear of the Pope |
| Papyrophobia | Strong fear of paper |
| Paraskevidekatriaphobia | Strong fear of Friday the 13th |
| Parthenophobia | Strong fear of young girls or virgins |
| Pathophobia | Strong fear of diseases |
| Patroiophobia | Strong fear of hereditary diseases |
| Pediophobia | Strong fear of dolls |
| Peladophobia | Strong fear of baldness |
| Peniaphobia | Strong fear of poverty |
| Pentheraphobia | Strong fear of mother-in-law |
| Peristerophobia | Strong fear of pigeons |
| Pharamacophobia | Strong fear of medication |
| Phasmophobia | Strong fear of ghosts |
| Phengophobia | Strong fear of daylight |
| Philemaphobia | Strong fear of kissing |
| Philophobia | Strong fear of love |
| Phobophobia | Strong fear of fear |
| Photophobia | Strong fear of light caused by something medical or traumatic |
| Podophobia | Strong fear of feet |
| Pogonophobia | Strong fear of beards or bearded men |
| Poinephobia | Strong fear of punishment |
| Politicophobia | Strong fear of politicians |
| Ponophobia | Strong fear of fatigue from overworking |
| Potamophobia | Strong fear of rivers or running water |
| Psellismophobia | Strong fear of stuttering or stammering |
| Pseudodysphagia | Strong fear of choking often after a bad eating experience |
| Pteronophobia | Strong fear of feathers |
| Pyrophobia | Strong fear of fire |
Common phobias in English – R |
|
| Radiophobia | Strong fear of radiation or x-rays |
| Ranidaphobia | Strong fear of frogs |
| Rhabdophobia | Strong fear of being beaten or criticized |
| Rhytiphobia | Strong fear of getting wrinkles |
| Rupophobia | Strong fear of dirt |
| Russophobia | Strong fear of Russians |
Common phobias in English – S |
|
| Samhainophobia | Strong fear of Halloween |
| Saravanaphobia | Strong fear of open love to other |
| Sathyarphobia | Strong fear of Sivaraj |
| Scabiophobia | Strong fear of scabies |
| Scelerophobia | Strong fear of bad men like criminals |
| Sciophobia | Strong fear of shadows |
| Scoleciphobia | Strong fear of worms |
| Seismophobia | Strong fear of earthquakes |
| Shiyamphobia | Strong fear of fighting |
| siderodromophobia | Strong fear of trains or traveling on trains |
| Sidonglobophobia | Strong fear of cotton balls or plastic foams |
| Sinophobia | Strong fear of China or the Chinese |
| Sitophobia | Strong fear of food |
| Soceraphobia | Strong fear of parents-in-law |
| Social phobia or Sociophobia | Strong fear of social gatherings |
| Somniphobia | Strong fear of sleep |
| Sophophobia | Strong fear of knowledge or learning |
| Spheksophobia | Strong fear of wasps |
| Stasibasiphobia or Stasophobia | Strong fear of standing and walking |
| Syngenesephobia | Strong fear of relatives |
Common phobias in English – T |
|
| Tachophobia | Strong fear of speed during driving |
| Taphophobia | Strong fear of being buried alive by mistake and waking up in a coffin underground. |
| Taurophobia | Strong fear of bulls |
| Technophobia | Strong fear of technology |
| Telephonophobia | Strong fear of talking on the phone |
| Thalassophobia | Strong fear of the seas and oceans |
| Thanatophobia | Strong fear of death |
| Theophobia | Strong fear of God |
| Tocophobia or Tokophobia | Strong fear of childbirth |
| Tomophobia | Strong fear of surgery |
| Toxicophobia | Strong fear of being poisoned by any medium: food, gas, water or drugs |
| Tremophobia | Strong fear of trembling |
| Trichophobia | Strong fear of hair |
| Triskaidekaphobia | Strong fear of the number 13 |
| Trypanophobia | Strong fear of needles or injections |
| Trypophobia | Strong fear of holes |
| Tuberculophobia | Strong fear of tuberculosis |
| Turophobia | Strong fear of cheese |
| Common phobias in English – U | |
| Uranophobia | Strong fear of Heaven |
| Urophobia | Strong fear of urine or urination |
| Common phobias in English – V | |
| Vaccinophobia | Strong fear of vaccination |
| Vehophobia | Strong fear of driving |
| Venustraphobia | Strong fear of beautiful women |
| Verbophobia | Strong fear of words |
| Verminophobia | Strong fear of germs |
| Vermiphobia | Strong fear of worms |
| Vestiphobia | Strong fear of clothing |
| Virginitiphobia | Strong fear of rape |
| Vitricophobia | Strong fear of step-father |
Common phobias in English – W |
|
| Walloonphobia | Strong fear of Walloons |
| Wiccaphobia | Strong fear of witches and witchcraft |
| Xanthophobia | Strong fear of yellow color |
| Common phobias in English – X | |
| Xenophobia | Strong fear of strangers or foreigners |
| Common phobias in English – Z | |
| Zelophobia | Strong fear of jealousy |
| Zeusophobia | Strong fear of deities |
| Zoophobia | Strong fear of animals |
How to read long words in English
One word substitutions in English
Palindromes in the English Language
Pangrams in the English Language
Spoonerisms in the English Language
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