A-Z of Phobias
Phobia is another word for 'fear'. The words for specific phobias refer to extreme fears that can cause problems to those affected. Extreme fears can be debilitating because they can lead to mental and emotional distress, physical symptoms, and social challenges. The phobias listed below are not all clinically recognised conditions.
A
- Abluthophobia: Fear of bathing
- Acarophobia: Fear of itching or of the insects that cause itching. Fear of skin infestation by mites or ticks
- Acerophobia: Fear of sourness
- Achluophobia: Fear of darkness
- Achluophobia: Fear of the dark or of night. Synonyms: Nyctophobia
- Acousticophobia: Fear of noise
- Acrophobia: Fear of heights
- Aelurophobia: Fear of cats. Synonyms: Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia, Gatophobia
- Aeronausiphobia: Fear of vomiting due to airsickness
- Aerophobia: Fear of draft. Fear of fresh air. Fear of flying
- Agoraphobia: Fear of open, public places like markets
- Agrizoophobia: Fear of wild animals
- Agyrophobia: Fear of crossing streets
- Aibohphobia: Fear of palindromes
- Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects. See also: Belomophobia, Belonephobia
- Ailurophobia: Fear of cats. Synonyms: Aelurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia, Gatophobia
- Akousticophobia: Fear of sound or sounds.
- Algophobia: Fear of pain
- Altophobia: Fear of heights
- Amathophobia: Fear of dust. Synonyms: Koniophobia
- Amaxophobia: Fear of being in or riding in vehicles
- Ambulophobia: Fear of walking
- Ancraophobia: Fear of wind
- Androphobia: Fear of men. Synonyms: Arrhenphobia
- Anginophobia: Fear of narrowness. Fear of having a sore throat
- Ankylophobia: Fear of stiff or immobile joints
- Anthrophobia: Fear ofhuman beings.
- Anthropophobia: Fear of meeting people or society
- Antlophobia: Fear of floods
- Anuptaphobia: Fear of staying single
- Apeirophobia: Fear of infinity
- Aphephobia: Fear of touching or being touched
- Apiophobia: Fear of bees. Synonyms: Apiphobia
- Apiphobia: Fear of bees. Synonyms: Apiophobia
- Aquaphobia: Fear of water. Synonyms: Hydrophobia.
- Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth
- Arachnephobia: Fear of spiders. Synonyms: Arachnophobia
- Arachnophobia: Fear of spiders. Synonyms: Arachnephobia
- Arrhenphobia: Fear of men. Synonyms: Androphobia.
- Asthenophobia: Fear of weakness
- Astraphobia: Fear of lightning. Synonyms: Astrapophobia
- Astrapophobia: Fear of lightning. Synonyms: Astraphobia
- Ataxiophobia: Fear of disorder Synonyms: Ataxophobia
- Ataxophobia: Fear of disorder. Synonyms: Ataxiophobia
- Atelophobia: Fear of imperfection
- Atephobia: Fear of ruin
- Atychiphobia: Fear of failure
- Aulophobia: Fear of flutes
- Aurophobia: Fear of gold
- Automysophobia: Fear of being dirty. See also: Misophobia
- Autophobia: Fear of being alone
- Aviatophobia: Fear of flying.See also: Aerophobia, Ancraophobia, Aviophobia, Batophobia, Hypsophobia, Hypsiphobia
- Aviophobia: Fear of flying. See also: Aerophobia, Ancraophobia, Aviatophobia, Batophobia, Hypsophobia, Hypsiphobia
B
- Bacillophobia: Fear of microbes
- Bacteriophobia: Fear of bacteria
- Ballistophobia: Fear of missles or bullets
- Barophobia: Fear of gravity
- Basophobia: Inability to stand. Fear of falling
- Bathmophobia: Fear of walking
- Bathophobia: Fear of depth
- Batophobia: Fear of heights or being close to high buildings, alternatively - Fear of walking
- Batrachophobia: Fear of frogs and toads. Fear of reptiles
- Belonophobia: Fear of pins and needles.
- Bibliophobia: Fear of books
- Blennophobia: Fear of slime. Synonyms: Myxophobia
- Bogyphobia: Fear of demons and goblins
- Bromidrosiphobia: Fear of bodily odors
- Brontophobia: Fear of thunder storms.
C
- Cacomorphobia: Fear of fat people
- Cainophobia: Fear of novelty
- Caligynephobia: Fear of beautiful women
- Cancerophobia: Fear of cancer. Synonyms: Cancerphobia, Carcinomophobia, Carcinomat`ophobia, Carcinophobia
- Cancerphobia: Fear of cancer. Synonyms: Cancerophobia, Carcinomophobia, Carcinomatophobia, Carcinophobia
- Carcinomatophobia: Fear of cancer. Synonyms: Cancerophobia, Cancerphobia, Carcinomophobia, Carcinophobia
- Carcinomophobia: Fear of cancer. Synonyms: Cancerophobia, Cancerphobia, Carcinomatophobia, Carcinophobia
- Carcinophobia: Fear of cancer. Synonyms: Cancerophobia, Cancerphobia, Carcinomophobia, Carcinomatophobia
- Cardiophobia: Fear of heart disease
- Catagelophobia: Fear of being ridiculed
- Cathisophobia: Fear of sitting
- Catoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors
- Celtophobia: Fear of Celts
- Cenophobia: Fear of empty spaces. Synonyms: Kenophobia
- Ceraunophobia: Fear of thunder. Fear of thunder and lightning. Synonyms: Keraunophobia, Tonitrophobia
- Chaetophobia: Fear of hair. Synonyms: Trichophobia
- Cheimaphobia: Fear of cold. Synonyms: Cheimatophobia.
- Cheimatophobia: Fear of cold. Synonyms: Cheimaphobia. See also: Cryophobia. Cherophobia: Fear of gaiety
- Chinophobia: Fear of snow
- Cholerophobia: Fear of cholera
- Chorophobia Fear of dancing
- Chrematophobia: Fear of wealth
- Chrometophobia: Fear of money
- Chromophobia: Fear of colors
- Chronophobia: Fear of time
- Cibophobia: Fear of food. Synonyms: Sitophobia, Sitiophobia. See also: Phagophobia
- Claustrophobia: Fear of confined spaces
- Cleptophobia: Fear of thieves or loss through thievery. Synonyms: Kleptophobia.
- Climacophobia: Fear of falling downstairs.
- Clinophobia: Fear of going to bed, alternatively - Fear of beds.
- Cnidophobia: Fear of insect stings
- Coitophobia: Fear of sexual intercourse.
- Cometophobia: Fear of comets.
- Coprophobia: Fear of faeces.
- Cryophobia: Fear of ice or frost.
- Crystallophobia: Fear of crystals. Fear of glass
- Cymophobia: Fear of waves.
- Cynophobia: Fear of dogs.
- Cypridophobia: Fear of veneral disease.
D
- Deipnophobia: Fear of dining and dinner conversations.
- Decidophobia : Fear of making decisions.
- Demonophobia: Fear of spirits or demons.
- Demophobia: Fear of crowds.
- Dentophobia: Fear of dentists.
- Dermatophobia: Fear of skin disease.
- Dermatosiophobia: Fear of skin.
- Dextrophobia: Fear of objects on the right side of the body
- Dikephobia: Fear of justice.
- Dinophobia: Fear of whirlpools.
- Diplopiaphobia: Fear of double vision.
- Dipsophobia: Fear of drinking.
- Domatophobia: Fear of being in a house.
- Doraphobia: Fear of fur. Fear of contact with animal fur or skin
- Dromophobia: Fear of crossing streets.
- Dysmorphophobia: Fear of deformity, usually in others.
- Dystychiphobia: Fear of accidents.
E
- Ecclesiophobia: Fear of church.
- Ecophobia: Fear of home. Synonyms: Oecophobia, Oikophobia.
- Eisoptrophobia: Fear of mirrors. Fear of looking into mirrors.
- Electrophobia: Fear of electricity.
- Eleutherophobia: Fear of freedom.
- Elurophobia: Fear of cats. Synonyms: Ailurophobia, Aelurophobia, Felinophobia, Gatophobia.
- Emetophobia: Fear of vomiting.
- Enetophobia: Fear of needles or pins.
- Enosiophobia: Fear of having committed an unpardonable sin.
- Entomophobia: Fear of insects.
- Eosophobia: Fear of dawn
- Eremophobia: Fear of lonliness. Fear of being alone.
- Ergasiophobia: Fear of work, alternatively - Surgeon's fear of operating.
- Ergophobia: Fear of work.
- Erotophobia: Fear of sexual love.
- Erythrophobia: Fear of red lights, alternatively - Fear of blushing.
- Eurotophobia: Fear of the color red; fear of blushing.
F
- Febriphobia: Fear of fever.
- Felinophobia: Fear of cats. Synonyms: Aelurophobia, Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Gatophobia.
- Frigophobia: Fear of cold.
G
- Galeophobia: Fear of sharks.
- Gallophobia: Fear of France or the French.
- Gametophobia: Fear of marriage. Synonyms: Gamophobia.
- Gamophobia: Fear of marriage. Synonyms: Gametophobia.
- Gatophobia: Fear of cats. Synonyms: Aelurophobia, Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Felinophobia.
- Genophobia: Fear of sex.
- Gephyrophobia: Fear of crossing bridges.
- Gerascophobia: Fear of growing old.
- Geumophobia: Fear of tastes or flavors.
- Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak.
- Graphophobia: Fear of writing.
- Gymnophobia: Fear of nudity. Synonyms: Nudophobia.
- Gynephobia: Fear of women. Synonyms: Gynophobia.
- Gynophobia: Fear of women. Synonyms: Gynephobia.
H
- Hadeophobia: Fear of hell. Synonyms: Stygiophobia.
- Haemaphobia: Fear of blood. Synonyms: Haematophobia, Hemaphobia, Hematophobia, Hemophobia.
- Haematophobia: Fear of blood. Synonyms: Haemaphobia, Hemaphobia, Hematophobia, Hemophobia.
- Hagiophobia: Fear of saints.
- Hamartophobia: Fear of sinning.
- Haphophobia: Fear of touch. Synonyms: Haptophobia, Thixophobia.
- Haptophobia: Fear of touch. Synonyms: Haphophobia, Thixophobia.
- Harpaxophobia: Fear of being robbed.
- Hedonophobia: Fear of pleasure.
- Heliophobia: Fear of the sun. Fear of (or abnormal sensitivity to) sunlight. Synonyms: Solophobia.
- Helminthophobia: Fear of being infested with worms.
- Hemaphobia: Fear of blood. Synonyms: Haemaphobia, Haematophobia, Hematophobia, Hemophobia.
- Hematophobia: Fear of blood. Synonyms: Haemaphobia, Haematophobia, Hemaphobia, Hemophobia.
- Hemophobia: Fear of blood. Synonyms: Haemaphobia, Haematophobia, Hemaphobia, Hematophobia.
- Herpetophobia: Fear of reptiles.
- Hierophobia: Fear of priests. Fear of sacred objects.
- Hippophobia: Fear of horses.
- Hodophobia: Fear of road travel.
- Homichlophobia: Fear of fog.
- Homilophobia: Fear of sermons.
- Homophobia: Fear of homosexuality.
- Hydrophobia: Fear of water.
- Hydrophobophobia: Fear of rabies.
- Hygrophobia: Fear of liquids. Fear of liquids, esp. wine and water.
- Hylephobia: Fear of wood or woods.
- Hypegiaphobia: Fear of responsibility. Synonyms: Hypengyophobia.
- Hypengyophobia: Fear of responsibility. Synonyms: Hypegiaphobia.
- Hypnophobia: Fear of sleep.
- Hypsiphobia: Fear of high places. Synonyms: Altophobia, Hypsophobia
- Hypsophobia: Fear of high places. Synonyms: Altophobia, Hypsiphobia
I
- Iatrophobia: Fear of going to the doctor.
- Ichthyophobia: Fear of fish.
- Ideophobia: Fear of ideas.
- Iophobia: Fear of poisons.
- Isopterophobia: Fear of termites.
J
- Japanophobia: Fear of Japanese.
- Judeophobia: Fear of Jews.
K
- Kakorrhaphiophobia: Fear of failure or defeat.
- Katagelophobia: Fear of ridicule.
- Kenophobia: Fear of empty spaces. Synonyms: Cenophobia.
- Kenophobia: Fear of voids.
- Keraunophobia: Fear of thunder. Fear of thunder and lightning. Synonyms: Ceraunophobia, Tonitrophobia.
- Kinetophobia: Fear of movement or motion.
- Kleptophobia: Fear of thieves or loss through thievery. Synonyms: Cleptophobia.
- Koniophobia: Fear of dust.
- Koniophobia: Fear of dust. Synonyms: Amathophobia.
- Kopophobia: Fear of fatigue. Fear of mental or physical examination.
- Kynophobia: Fear of dogs.
- Kyphophobia: Fear of stooping.
L
- Laliophobia: Fear of speaking.
- Lepraphobia: Fear of leprosy. Synonyms: Leprophobia.
- Leprophobia: Fear of leprosy. Synonyms: Lepraphobia.
- Levophobia: Fear of objects on the left side of the body.
- Ligyrophobia: Fear of loud noises.
- Lilapsophobia: Fear of tornadoes.
- Limnophobia: Fear of lakes.
- Linonophobia: Fear of string.
- Logophobia: Fear of words.
- Lunaphobia: Fear of the moon.
- Lygophobia: Fear of darkness.
- Lyssophobia: Fear of becoming insane.
M
- Macrophobia: Fear of long waits.
- Maieusiophobia: Fear of childbirth.
- Maniaphobia: Fear of insanity.
- Mastigophobia: Fear of punishment. Fear of flogging.
- Mechanophobia: Fear of machines or machinery.
- Megalophobia: Fear of large things.
- Melissophobia: Fear of bees. Synonyms: Apiphobia.
- Melophobia: Fear of music.
- Merinthophobia: Fear of being bound.
- Metallophobia: Fear of metal.
- Meteorophobia: Fear of meteors or meteorites.
- Metrophobia: Fear of poetry.
- Microbiophobia: Fear of microbes. Synonyms: Microphobia. See also: Bacillophobia.
- Microphobia: Fear of microbes. Synonyms: Microbiophobia. See also: Bacillophobia.
- Misogynism: Hatred of females. Synonyms: Misogyny.
- Misogyny: Hatred of females. Synonyms: Misogynism.
- Misophobia: Fear of dirt, especially of being contaminated by dirt.
- Misosophy: Hatred of wisdom.
- Molysomophobia: Fear of dirt or contamination. Fear of infection.
- Monopathophobia: Fear of sickness in a specific part of the body
- Monophobia: Fear of being alone. Fear of one thing.
- Musicophobia: Fear of music.
- Musophobia: Fear of mice.
- Mycrophobia: Fear of small things.
- Mysophobia: Fear of dirt or contamination.
- Mythophobia: Fear of making false statements.
- Myxophobia: Fear of slime. Synonyms: Blennophobia.
N
- Nebulaphobia: Fear of fog.
- Necrophobia: Fear of dead things. Fear of death.
- Neophobia: Fear of anything new.
- Nephophobia: Fear of clouds.
- Noctiphobia: Fear of the night.
- Nosophobia: Fear of becoming ill.
- Novercaphobia: Fear of your mother-in-law.
- Nudophobia: Fear of nudity. Synonyms: Gymnophobia.
- Nyctophobia: Fear of the dark or of night. Synonyms: Achluophobia, Scotophobia.
O
- Ochlophobia: Fear of crowds or mobs.
- Ochophobia: Fear of vehicles.
- Odontophobia: Fear of teeth.
- Odynophobia: Fear of pain.
- Oecophobia: Fear of home. Synonyms: Ecophobia, Oikophobia.
- Oenophobia: Fear of wine. Synonyms: Oinophobia.
- Oikophobia: Fear of home. Synonyms: Ecophobia, Oecophobia.
- Oinophobia: Fear of wine. Synonyms: Oenophobia.
- Olfactophobia: Fear of smells.
- Ombrophobia: Fear of rain or of being rained on.
- Ommetaphobia: Fear of eyes.
- Onomatophobia: Fear of hearing a certain word or words, or name or names.
- Ophidiophobia: Fear of snakes.
- Ophthalmophobia: Fear of being stared at.
- Ornithophobia: Fear of birds.
- Orthophobia: Fear of property.
- Osmophobia: Fear of smells.
P
- Panphobia: Fear of everything. A nonspecific fear; A state of general anxiety. Synonyms: Pantophobia.
- Panthophobia: Fear of suffering and disease.
- Pantophobia: Fear of everything. A nonspecific fear; A state of general anxiety. Synonyms: Panphobia.
- Papaphobia: Fear of the Pope.
- Paralipophobia: Fear of responsibility. Fear of neglect of responsibility.
- Paraphobia: Fear of sexual perversion.
- Parasitophobia: Fear of parasites.
- Parthenophobia: Fear of virgins or young girls.
- Pathophobia: Fear of disease.
- Peccatophobia: Fear of sinning.
- Pediculophobia: Fear of lice.
- Pediaphobia: Fear of children. Synonyms: Pedophobia.
- Pedophobia: Fear of children. Synonyms: Pediaphobia.
- Peladophobia: Fear of baldness.
- Peniaphobia: Fear of poverty.
- Pentheraphobia: Fear of mother-in-law.
- Phagophobia: Fear of swallowing. Fear of eating.
- Pharmacophobia: Fear of drugs. Synonyms: Pharmcophobia.
- Pharmcophobia: Fear of drugs. Synonyms: Pharmacophobia.
- Phasmophobia: Fear of ghosts.
- Phenogophobia: Fear of daylight.
- Philophobia: Fear of falling in love or being in love.
- Philosophobia: Fear of philosophy.
- Phobophobia: Fear of phobias.
- Phonemophobia: Fear of thinking.
- Phonophobia: Fear of noises or voices.
- Photalgiophobia: Fear of photalgin, pain in the eyes caused by light.
- Photophobia: Fear of light. Fear of (strong) light.
- Phthiriophobia: Fear of lice.
- Placophobia: Fear of tombstones.
- Pluviophobia: Fear of rain or of being rained on.
- Pneumatophobia: Fear of spirits or noncorporeal beings.
- Pnigerophobia: Fear of choking. Fear of smothering.
- Pnigophobia: Fear of choking.
- Pogonophobia: Fear of beards.
- Poinephobia: Fear of punishment.
- Politicophobia: Fear of politicians.
- Polyphobia: Fear of many things.
- Ponophobia: Fearear of overworking. Fear of fatigue, esp. as a result of working too hard.
- Potamophobia: Fear of rivers.
- Potophobia: Fear of alcohol or acoholic beverages.
- Prosophobia: Fear of progress.
- Psellismophobia: Fear of stuttering.
- Psychophobia: Fear of the cold
- Psychophobia: Fear of the mind.
- Pteronophobia: Fear of being tickled by feathers. Fear of feathers.
- Pyrexiophobia: Fear of fever.
- Pyrophobia: Fear of fire.
Q
R
- Rectophobia: Fear of rectum.
- Rhabdophobia: Fear of magic. Fear of being eaten.
- Rhypophobia: Fear of filth.
- Rhytiphobia: Fear of getting wrinkles.
- Russophobia: Fear of Russians.
S
- Satanophobia: Fear of Satan.
- Scholionophobia: Fear of school. Synonyms: Scolionophobia.
- Sciophobia: Fear of shadows.
- Scoleciphobia: Fear of worms.
- Scolionophobia: Fear of school. Synonyms: Scholionophobia.
- Scopophobia: Fear of being seen or looked at.
- Scotophobia: Fear of darkness.
- Scotophobia: Fear of the dark or of night. Synonyms: Nyctophobia, Achluophobia.
- Selaphobia: Fear of light flashes.
- Septophobia: Fear of decaying matter.
- Siderodromophobia: Fear of train travel.
- Siderophobia: Fear of stars.
- Sinophobia: Fear of Chinese.
- Sitiophobia: Fear of food. Synonyms: Cibophobia, Sitophobia.
- Sitiophobia: Fear of food. Synonyms: Sitophobia.
- Sitophobia: Fear of food. Synonyms: Cibophobia, Sitiophobia.
- Sitophobia: Fear of food. Synonyms: Sitiophobia.
- Soceraphobia: Fear of parents-in-law.
- Solophobia: Fear of the sun. Fear of (or abnormal sensitivity to) sunlight. Synonyms: Heliophobia.
- Sophophobia: Fear of learning.
- Specrophobia: Fear of specters or phantoms.
- Spectrophobia: Fear of looking in a mirror.
- Spermatophobia: Fear of germs. Synonyms: Spermophobia.
- Spermophobia: Fear of germs. Synonyms: Spermatophobia.
- Spheksophobia : Fear of wasps.
- Stasibasiphobia: Fear of standing or walking. Conviction that one cannot stand or walk.
- Staurophobia: Fear of crosses or the crucifix.
- Stenophobia: Fear of narrow things or places.
- Stygiophobia: Fear of hell.
- Stygiophobia: Fear of hell. Synonyms: Hadeophobia.
- Symmetrophobia: Fear of symmetry.
- Syngenesophobia: Fear of relatives.
T
- Tabophobia: Fear of a wasting sickness.
- Tachophobia: Fear of speed.
- Taphephobia: Fear of being buried alive or of cemeteries. Synonyms: Taphophobia.
- Taphophobia: Fear of graves or being buried alive. Synonyms: Taphephobia.
- Tapinophobia: Fear of being contagious. Fear of small things.
- Taurophobia: Fear of bulls.
- Technophobia: Fear of arts and crafts. Fear of technology.
- Teleophobia: Fear of definite plans, alternatively - Fear of religious ceremony.
- Telephonophobia: Fear of telephones.
- Teratophobia: Fear of bearing a deformed child.
- Terdekaphobia Fear of the number 13. Synonyms: Triskadekaphobia.
- Teutophobia: Fear of German or German things.
- Thaasophobia: Fear of being idle.
- Thalassophobia: Fear of the sea.
- Thanatophobia: Fear of death or dying.
- Theatrophobia: Fear of theatres.
- Theologicophobia: Fear of theology.
- Theophobia: Fear of gods or religion.
- Thermophobia: Fear of heat.
- Thixophobia: Fear of touch or fear of touching. Synonyms: Haptophobia, Haphophobia.
- Tocophobia: Fear of pregnancy or childbirth. Synonyms: Tokophobia.
- Tokophobia: Fear of pregnancy or childbirth. Synonyms: Tocophobia.
- Tomophobia: Fear of surgical operations.
- Tonitrophobia: Fear of thunder. Synonyms: Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia.
- Topophobia: Fear of certain places. Fear of performing ("Stage Fright").
- Toxicophobia: Fear of poison. Synonyms: Toxiphobia, Toxophobia.
- Toxiphobia: Fear of poison. Synonyms: Toxophobia, Toxicophobia.
- Toxophobia: Fear of poison. Synonyms: Toxiphobia, Toxicophobia.
- Traumatophobia: Fear of injury. Fear of war.
- Tremophobia: Fear of trembling.
- Trichophobia: Fear of hair. Synonyms: Chaetophobia.
- Triskadekaphobia: Fear of the number 13. Synonyms: Terdekaphobia,
- Tropophobia: Fear of making changes.
- Tyrannophobia: Fear of tyrants.
U
- Uranophobia: Fear of heaven.
- Urophobia: Fear of urine.
V
- Vaccinophobia: Fear of vaccines and vaccination.
- Venereophobia: Fear of venereal disease.
- Verbophobia: Fear of words.
- Vermiphobia: Fear of (earth, not intestinal) worms.
- Vestiophobia: Fear of clothing.
- Vitricophobia: Fear of one's step-father.
W
X
- Xanthophobia: Fear of the color yellow or the word yellow.
- Xenophobia: Fear of strangers or foreigners, or anything foreign.
- Xerophobia: Fear of dryness and dry places, esp. deserts.
- Xylophobia: Fear of wooden objects or forests.
Y
Z
- Zelophobia: Fear of jealousy.
- Zoophobia: Fear of animals.