Understand the fear
Phobias explained, without judgment.
Trying to understand a fear—your own or someone else's? Find out what it can feel like, why it might happen, and what can help.
Start exploring
Start with these explanations
Ablutophobia
Ablutophobia is an intense fear of bathing, showering, or washing. Learn how it differs from a child who hates bath time, what may cause it, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Natural environmentAcrophobia
Do heights make everyday places feel scary? Learn what acrophobia can feel like, how it differs from normal caution, and what can help.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyAibohphobia
Aibohphobia is a joke word for the fear of palindromes, and it's a palindrome itself. Learn where it came from, how to say it, and when word fears are real.
Read the explanation →AnimalsAilurophobia
Ailurophobia is a persistent fear of cats. Learn what triggers it, how it differs from ordinary dislike, and what help can involve.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyAlektorophobia
Alektorophobia is an intense fear of chickens, hens, or roosters. It sounds like a joke, but doctors have treated it. Learn the signs, causes, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Situations and placesAmaxophobia
Driving or riding as a passenger can feel frightening. Learn about amaxophobia, practical travel concerns, and support that keeps road safety first.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyAnatidaephobia
Anatidaephobia, the fear that a duck is watching you, began in a 1988 Far Side comic by Gary Larson. It's a joke, not a diagnosis. Here's its story and what's real.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceAnuptaphobia
Anuptaphobia is the fear of being single. It's not a diagnosis, but research shows how this fear leads people to settle. Learn the signs and how to ease it.
Read the explanation →Natural environmentAquaphobia
Understand fear of water, how it differs from sensible water caution, and how to ask for help while keeping swimming and drowning safety in view.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyArachibutyrophobia
Arachibutyrophobia is a joke word for fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. It's not a diagnosis. Learn where it came from and how to say it.
Read the explanation →AnimalsArachnophobia
Why can spiders feel frightening or disgusting? Understand arachnophobia, avoidance, treatment research, and questions to ask before getting help.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualArithmophobia
Arithmophobia is an intense fear of numbers, either all of them or unlucky ones like 4, 13, and 666. Learn how it differs from math anxiety and what can help.
Read the explanation →Natural environmentAstraphobia
Does a storm forecast fill you with dread? Understand astraphobia, sensible storm precautions, and ways to ask for help with thunderstorm fear.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualAutomatonophobia
Automatonophobia is a fear of humanlike figures like mannequins, wax figures, dummies, and robots. Learn why they unsettle people and what can help.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualCherophobia
Cherophobia is a name for fearing or avoiding happiness. Learn what research on fear of happiness shows, how culture shapes it, and when it may need support.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyChiclephobia
Chiclephobia is a rarely used name for a fear of chewing gum. Learn what it describes, how it differs from misophonia, and when a fear needs support.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualChronophobia
Chronophobia is an intense fear of time passing. It can follow prison, illness, trauma, or lockdown, and birthdays may set it off. Learn the signs and what helps.
Read the explanation →Situations and placesClaustrophobia
Do elevators or small rooms make you want to escape? Understand claustrophobia, MRI worries, and what help can involve.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualCoulrophobia
Why do clowns unsettle so many people? Explore coulrophobia, what research says about clown fear, and when it becomes a phobia.
Read the explanation →AnimalsCynophobia
Does fear of dogs change where you walk or who you visit? Learn about cynophobia, sensible caution, and what support can involve.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualDecidophobia
Decidophobia is the fear of making decisions, a term coined by philosopher Walter Kaufmann in 1973. See how it shows up in daily life and what helps you decide.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedDentophobia
Scared to book a dental appointment? Understand dental anxiety and dentophobia, what to tell the dentist, and how to ask for support.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersEisoptrophobia
Eisoptrophobia is a fear of mirrors or what might appear in them. Learn about Bloody Mary, the strange-face illusion, and when the fear needs support.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedEmetophobia
Understand fear of vomiting, the worry-and-checking cycle, eating concerns, and what assessment and treatment research can tell you about emetophobia.
Read the explanation →AnimalsEntomophobia
When fear of insects takes over, everyday plans can get smaller. Learn about entomophobia, sensible precautions, and ways to ask for help.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceEphebiphobia
Ephebiphobia means fear of teenagers. It began as a term for how adults judge youth, not a diagnosis. Learn where it comes from and what helps if teens scare you.
Read the explanation →Situational and modernErgophobia
Ergophobia means a fear of work. Learn what research on workplace phobia found, how it differs from burnout or laziness, and what can help.
Read the explanation →Situations and placesFear of flying
Dreading a flight before you've even booked it? Understand fear of flying, the names aerophobia and aviophobia, and what support can involve.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceGelotophobia
Gelotophobia is the fear of being laughed at, where even friendly laughter can feel like ridicule. Learn the signs, the research, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Situations and placesGephyrophobia
Gephyrophobia is a fear of crossing bridges. Learn what drives it, why some bridges offer to drive your car across for you, and what treatment involves.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersGlobophobia
Globophobia is a fear of balloons, often of the sound when they pop. Learn what it can feel like, why it may start, and how to support a child or adult.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceGlossophobia
Dreading a presentation, meeting, or wedding speech? Understand public-speaking fear, its link with social anxiety, and how to ask for useful support.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedHemophobia
Scared of blood or worried about fainting? Understand hemophobia, how it differs from needle fear, and what to tell the care team before a visit.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyHexakosioihexekontahexaphobia
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is the fear of the number 666, the number of the beast in Revelation. Learn what the word means, how to say it, and real cases.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyHippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia
The phobia of long words is jokingly called hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. The plainer term is sesquipedalophobia. Learn what they mean and how to say it.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedIatrophobia
Scared of seeing a doctor? Understand iatrophobia, explain what makes appointments difficult, and ask for support without putting off needed care.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualKinemortophobia
Kinemortophobia is an informal name for fear of zombies, not a diagnosis. Learn where the word comes from, why zombies scare people, and what can help.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersKoumpounophobia
Koumpounophobia is a fear or strong disgust toward buttons. Learn what it feels like, the one published case study, and what help can involve.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyLachanophobia
Lachanophobia is a fear of vegetables that goes far beyond disliking broccoli. Learn how it differs from picky eating and ARFID, and what can help.
Read the explanation →AnimalsLutraphobia
Lutraphobia is a rare word for a fear of otters. Learn where the name comes from, why it's mostly trivia, and how a real fear of animals is understood.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersMegalophobia
Megalophobia is a fear of very large objects like giant ships, statues, or buildings. Learn what it can feel like, why it happens, and what help involves.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedMysophobia
When germ worries take over, ordinary tasks can feel complicated. Understand mysophobia, contamination fears, OCD overlap, and where to find help.
Read the explanation →Situational and modernNomophobia
Feel uneasy without your phone? Learn what nomophobia means, why phone separation feels stressful, and when it may be worth addressing.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedNosocomephobia
Hospital visits can feel overwhelming. Learn about nosocomephobia, how it differs from other medical fears, and what to ask before a planned visit.
Read the explanation →Natural environmentNyctophobia
Fear of the dark isn't only a childhood worry. Understand nyctophobia, its effect on nights and sleep, and how to seek support without pressure.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedOmphalophobia
Omphalophobia is a fear of belly buttons — your own or others'. Learn why navels unsettle some people and when it becomes a phobia.
Read the explanation →AnimalsOphidiophobia
Does fear of snakes put you off places or plans you enjoy? Learn about ophidiophobia, sensible caution, and what getting help can involve.
Read the explanation →AnimalsOrnithophobia
Ornithophobia is a persistent, intense fear of birds. Learn what triggers it, how it differs from ordinary unease, and what help can involve.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyPapaphobia
Papaphobia means fear of the pope. Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defined it as dread of the pope or the Catholic Church. It's a real word, but not a diagnosis.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualPediophobia
Why do dolls unsettle so many people? Explore pediophobia, the fear of dolls, from the uncanny valley to horror movies.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualPhasmophobia
Phasmophobia is an intense fear of ghosts. Learn what it can feel like, why it often shows up at night, and how it differs from enjoying a good scare.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualPhilophobia
Philophobia is the fear of falling in love or emotional attachment. Learn what drives it, how it differs from caution, and what can help.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyPogonophobia
Pogonophobia means a fear or dislike of beards. Learn the word's history as a joke, its link to the Little Albert study, and when a fear of beards needs support.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyPteronophobia
Pteronophobia is the fear of feathers, often listed as fear of being tickled by feathers. Learn what the word really means, why feathers tickle, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualSamhainophobia
Samhainophobia is a fear of Halloween. Learn where the name comes from, why some people dread October, and how to cope when spooky season arrives.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceScopophobia
Scopophobia is a fear of being stared at or watched. Learn how it links to social anxiety and eye contact, why it can feel like everyone's looking, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersSubmechanophobia
Submechanophobia is a fear of man-made objects underwater, like shipwrecks or sunken statues. Learn what it feels like, possible causes, and what can help.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualTaphophobia
Taphophobia is the fear of being buried alive. Learn how it shaped the 1800s, why safety coffins existed, and what can help if the fear lingers today.
Read the explanation →Situational and modernTelephobia
Telephobia is a fear of making or answering phone calls. Learn why it's so common now, how it links to social anxiety, and small steps that can help.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualTetraphobia
Tetraphobia is the avoidance of the number 4, common in parts of East Asia because four sounds like death. Learn where it comes from and when it becomes a fear.
Read the explanation →Natural environmentThalassophobia
Thalassophobia is an intense fear of deep water like the open ocean. Learn what it feels like, how it differs from aquaphobia, and what help can involve.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualThanatophobia
When thoughts about death keep taking over, support is available. Understand thanatophobia, everyday impact, grief, and how to explain the fear.
Read the explanation →Abstract and unusualTriskaidekaphobia
Why do buildings skip the 13th floor? Explore triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number 13, its history, and Friday the 13th.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedTrypanophobia
Dreading a blood test or injection? Understand needle fear, why fainting matters, and how to ask for support before your appointment.
Read the explanation →Medical and body-relatedTrypophobia
Why do clusters of holes bother some people so much? Explore trypophobia, the research behind it, and whether it counts as a phobia.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyTurophobia
Turophobia, the fear of cheese, sounds like a joke, but a published case report describes it as a real specific phobia. Learn the signs, causes, and what helps.
Read the explanation →Social and performanceVenustraphobia
Venustraphobia means fear of beautiful women. Learn where the rare word came from, why attraction can feel like panic, and when it points to social anxiety.
Read the explanation →Unusual and noveltyXanthophobia
Xanthophobia is a rare word for a fear of the color yellow. Learn what it means, why color fears are rarely studied, and when to seek support.
Read the explanation →Objects, sounds, and sensory triggersZuigerphobia
Zuigerphobia is a rare name for a fear of vacuum cleaners. Learn why the noise upsets some children and adults, and when it may need support.
Read the explanation →Essential guideAnticipatory Anxiety: Worry Before a Feared Event
Dreading a flight, appointment, or other event days in advance? Understand anticipatory anxiety, useful preparation, and when to ask for support.
Read the guide →Essential guideFear of Falling vs. Fear of Heights: Are They the Same?
Afraid of falling but not of heights? Understand the difference, how balance and confidence can matter, and where to start looking for support.
Read the guide →Essential guideFear of Heights vs. Vertigo: What's the Difference?
Scared, dizzy, or unsteady at heights? Learn how acrophobia differs from vertigo, why they can overlap, and what to tell a doctor.
Read the guide →Essential guideFear vs. Phobia: What’s the Difference?
Is it an everyday fear or a phobia? Explore the difference, with examples that help you understand your own experience or someone else's.
Read the guide →Essential guideIs Trypophobia a Real Phobia?
Trypophobia isn't a formal diagnosis, but the reaction is real. Learn what the research says, why the label is debated, and what actually matters.
Read the guide →Essential guideSpecific Phobias: Signs, Types & Help
When a fear starts shaping everyday choices, it can help to understand why. Learn what specific phobias are and what support can involve.
Read the guide →Essential guideHow Specific Phobias Are Treated
Thinking about getting help for a phobia? Understand CBT, exposure therapy, and useful questions to ask before starting treatment.
Read the guide →Essential guideStrangest phobia names: 28 weird fears, real or joke
The strangest phobia names, from fear of ducks watching you to fear of 666. See what 28 weird phobias mean, which are jokes, and which describe real fears.
Read the guide →Essential guideHow to Support Someone With a Phobia
Not sure what to say when someone you love has a phobia? Learn how to offer support, avoid pressure, and help them ask for professional help.
Read the guide →Essential guideHow to Talk to a Doctor About a Phobia
Not sure how to explain your fear to a doctor? Find a simple appointment note, words to start the conversation, and questions about getting help.
Read the guide →Browse by trigger
What brings on the fear?
Browse by the things or situations that bring on a fear.
Curious about a fear? Start with your question.
You might be looking up a name you've just heard, trying to make sense of your own reaction, or hoping to understand someone close to you. You don't need medical knowledge to begin.
If you're wondering, “Is this a phobia or just a fear?”, read our guide to the difference. If you already know what scares you, search the directory using an everyday word like “spiders” or “heights”.
Each explanation brings together what the fear can feel like, what help can involve, and things friends or family may want to understand. Follow the source links if you'd like to read further, or take it one page at a time.
Thinking about getting support? Explore where to find help or use our appointment-preparation tool to make a note of what you'd like to say. For the research behind the bigger picture, browse our phobia statistics and source notes.
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Every fear has a person behind it.
A fear can be hard to explain to someone who doesn't share it. We make room for that experience, explain things in everyday language, and show you where our information comes from.
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