claustrophobic

Quote

1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.

Definition

1. Definition - Study the definition.

afraid of small spaces

2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.

Any word that ends in “phobia” is describing a certain kind of fear. Perhaps you recall the movie Arachnophobia, in which spiders take over a town. “Arachnophobia” means fear of spiders.

Generally, phobias refer to irrational fears. For instance, one who is claustrophobic would be terrified to climb into a cupboard. There’s no reason to be scared of climbing in a cupboard. You could just get in, sit there for a second and get out and go about your day. But a person with a phobia can’t help his or her fears.

Unlike most other phobias, the word claustrophobia has a lot of other uses. Anytime you feel your surroundings are limiting you or holding you in place, you can say that you’re feeling claustrophobic.

Björk is a famous musician. It’s doubtful that her house is very small. In fact, it’s probably quite large. So when she says that being home makes her feel claustrophobic, she doesn’t mean that she’s a afraid of a tiny space. She means that home can feel closed-in and restricting to her. Sometimes she’d rather be traveling.

Almost any situation has the potential to be claustrophobic. A class that you’re in, your job, a friendship, a group of friends, your family, all of these things can be claustrophobic, though hopefully not at the same time!

Examples

1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.

“Please, don’t ask me to hide in the closet! I’m claustrophobic.”

Winners

1. Winners - See who guessed the slang definition correctly.

	it means fear of enclosed spaces.. by Kanaobi
	Uncomfortably closed or hemmed in by liru
	it can be a really small place where you feel trapped in a metaphorical way. by MFZChabel
	Yes, every day whin I stay in my home I feel claustrophobic I love outgoing with my friends and I enjoy to go out by winer129
	fear of being closed in, not having an escape route, being trapped. by omar_beyaty
	feeling of being in a closed in place, by bob_usa_brazil
	it means pertaining to an abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed spaces or it may even mean uncomfortably closed or hemmed in by sagarmhetre
	Great fear of confined spaces。 by rainstrs
	If someone is 'claustrophobic' they are frightened of small spaces. I think it means an home can be great but it doesn't give you any well-being. by Aurélie_358
	to be restricted by ali_5242
	like trapped in a small place by m@nuelm@d
	uncomfortably confined or crowded. e.g. a claustrophobic little room. by Xxxx
	Closed up,no space, by Rehema86
	scared of little space by doods
	uncomfortably closed or hemmed in; abnormally afraid of closed-in places. by babyxiao

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