Meaning & use
acrophobic
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounmedical
Having an intense, irrational fear of heights that causes anxiety, dizziness, or panic.
Grammar: Usually modifies nouns like person, response, or feeling; predicative use is possible but less common.
Patterns
- acrophobic person
- acrophobic response
- feel acrophobic
An acrophobic tourist refused to step onto the glass floor.
She felt acrophobic near the edge of the roof.
nouncountablemedical
A person who suffers from a strong fear of heights.
Grammar: Takes a plural: acrophobics; singular refers to one affected person.
Patterns
- an acrophobic
- acrophobics avoid balconies
The acrophobic asked to sit away from the window.
Some acrophobics can climb ladders but panic near cliff edges.
Common combinations
- acrophobic fear
- An acrophobic fear can make ordinary stairs feel dangerous.
- severely acrophobic
- He is severely acrophobic and avoids balconies.
- acrophobic reaction
- Her acrophobic reaction included shaking and nausea.
Synonyms and how they differ
- afraid of heights
- Plain everyday phrase; acrophobic is the clinical-style adjective and noun.
- vertiginous
- Vertiginous means causing dizziness, not necessarily the fear of heights itself.
Word family
- acrophobia noun
- The clinical name for fear of heights.
- acrophobe noun
- A less common noun for a person with acrophobia.
Commonly confused: acrophobic or agoraphobic? acrophobic or arachnophobic?
acrophobic vs agoraphobic
Agoraphobic fears open or crowded spaces; acrophobic specifically fears heights.
acrophobic vs arachnophobic
Arachnophobic fears spiders; only acrophobic concerns heights.
Practice
Which word fits: The ______ climber tied in but avoided the exposed ridge.
Choose one answer.
The exposed ridge concerns heights, so acrophobic fits. Agoraphobic and arachnophobic name different fears, and acoustic concerns sound.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “acrophobic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.