metrophobia: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very RareTechnical / Academic / Clinical
Quick answer
What does “metrophobia” mean?
An irrational or disproportionate fear of poetry.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An irrational or disproportionate fear of poetry.
A specific phobia where the sufferer experiences anxiety, panic, or avoidance behaviour specifically related to poetry, including reading, hearing, or writing it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally rare and specialised in both varieties.
Connotations
Technical, clinical, or occasionally humorous when used non-clinically.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both corpora. More likely to be encountered in niche academic or pop-psychology articles.
Grammar
How to Use “metrophobia” in a Sentence
[Subject] has/experiences/suffers from metrophobia.Metrophobia causes [Experiencer] to avoid [Stimulus].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “metrophobia” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form exists. Periphrastic: 'He metrophobically avoids the poetry section.']
American English
- [No standard verb form exists. Periphrastic: 'She is metrophobic, so we skipped the reading.']
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form. Constructed: 'He reacted metrophobically, quickly leaving the room.']
American English
- [No standard adverb form. Constructed: 'She glanced metrophobically at the anthology on the table.']
adjective
British English
- The metrophobic student requested an alternative to the Wordsworth module.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in psychology, literary studies, or linguistics as a descriptive label for a specific fear phenomenon.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely. Might be used humorously or in very specific personal anecdotes.
Technical
Primary context of use, typically in psychological case studies or discussions of specific phobias.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “metrophobia”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “metrophobia”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “metrophobia”
- Misspelling as 'metro-phobia' (hyphenated) or 'metraphobia'.
- Pronouncing it /ˈmɛtrəfəʊbɪə/ (stress on first syllable). Correct stress is on the 'pho' syllable.
- Using it to mean a fear of metros/subways (that would be 'subway phobia' or 'fear of the underground').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not listed as a distinct disorder in major diagnostic manuals like the DSM-5. It would be categorised under 'Specific Phobia, Other Type' if it caused significant clinical distress.
Dislike is a preference. Metrophobia implies a level of irrational fear, anxiety, or panic that leads to avoidance behaviour, similar to other phobias.
No. Based on its Greek roots ('metron' = measure, referring to poetic metre), its established meaning is fear of poetry. A fear of subways would be called something like 'subway phobia' or 'fear of the underground'.
It is considered extremely rare. Most references to it are found in discussions of unusual phobias or as illustrative examples in academic texts rather than in clinical case reports.
An irrational or disproportionate fear of poetry.
Metrophobia is usually technical / academic / clinical in register.
Metrophobia: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmɛtrə(ʊ)ˈfəʊbɪə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmɛtroʊˈfoʊbiə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms exist for this rare term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a METROnome ticking like the rhythm of a poem, causing PHOBIA.
Conceptual Metaphor
POETRY IS A THREATENING FORCE / VERSE IS A VIRUS (to be avoided).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most accurate definition of 'metrophobia'?