arachnophobia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, technical (medical/psychological), but also widely used in everyday conversation.
Quick answer
What does “arachnophobia” mean?
An extreme or irrational fear of spiders.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An extreme or irrational fear of spiders.
A specific phobia, classified as an anxiety disorder, characterized by an intense, persistent, and disproportionate fear of spiders and other arachnids (e.g., scorpions, ticks). The fear may be triggered by seeing, thinking about, or encountering representations of spiders.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical. The concept is universally recognized.
Connotations
Neutral clinical term in both varieties. Can be used humorously or hyperbolically in informal contexts (e.g., 'I have a bit of arachnophobia').
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, given its status as a standard psychological term and common cultural reference.
Grammar
How to Use “arachnophobia” in a Sentence
[Subject] has/suffers from arachnophobia.Arachnophobia is a common phobia.The treatment for arachnophobia often involves...Her arachnophobia was triggered by...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “arachnophobia” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No direct verb form. Use 'to be arachnophobic' or 'to have arachnophobia'.]
American English
- [No direct verb form. Use 'to be arachnophobic' or 'to have arachnophobia'.]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form. Use 'in an arachnophobic manner' or paraphrase.]
American English
- [No standard adverb form. Use 'in an arachnophobic way' or paraphrase.]
adjective
British English
- She is absolutely arachnophobic and will leave the room if she sees a house spider.
- His arachnophobic reaction was immediate and intense.
American English
- She's arachnophobic, so we had to call maintenance to remove the spider.
- The movie played on arachnophobic fears with its giant spider scenes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in contexts like workplace health (e.g., 'An employee's severe arachnophobia may require accommodation.')
Academic
Common in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience papers discussing anxiety disorders, phobias, and treatment methods like exposure therapy.
Everyday
Commonly used to explain an intense dislike or fear of spiders, sometimes hyperbolically.
Technical
Precise clinical term in diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-5) for a specific phobia, animal subtype.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “arachnophobia”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “arachnophobia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “arachnophobia”
- Misspelling: 'arachnaphobia' (incorrect 'n'), 'aracnophobia' (missing 'h').
- Mispronunciation: Stressing the first syllable (AR-ach-no-pho-bia) instead of the third (a-rach-no-PHO-bia).
- Overuse: Using the term for a mild discomfort rather than a genuine phobia.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but it can extend to other arachnids like scorpions, ticks, and mites, as they belong to the same class (Arachnida).
Arachnophobia is a clinical diagnosis for a persistent, excessive, and irrational fear that leads to avoidance behaviour and significant distress, impacting daily life. Simply being scared or uncomfortable around spiders is common and not necessarily a phobia.
While not always 'cured' in the sense of being completely erased, it is highly treatable. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and exposure therapy are very effective at managing and significantly reducing symptoms.
It is frequently cited as one of the most common specific phobias, particularly in Western cultures. Other common phobias include acrophobia (fear of heights) and ophidiophobia (fear of snakes).
An extreme or irrational fear of spiders.
Arachnophobia is usually formal, technical (medical/psychological), but also widely used in everyday conversation. in register.
Arachnophobia: in British English it is pronounced /əˌræk.nəˈfəʊ.bi.ə/, and in American English it is pronounced /əˌræk.nəˈfoʊ.bi.ə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly idiomatic. The word itself is the technical term.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a scary spider crawling on a ROCK, and you say 'A ROCK? NO! PHOBIA!' (A-ROCK-NO-PHOBIA).
Conceptual Metaphor
FEAR IS A CAPTOR/PRISON ("crippling arachnophobia", "paralysed by fear"). THE FEARED OBJECT IS A MONSTER (spiders are perceived as monstrous).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of arachnophobia?