aquaphobic

Thân thiện

An aquaphobic child hesitates to step into the shallow end of the swimming pool.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Abnormally afraid of water: Having an irrational, intense, and persistent fear of water. This is a specific phobia, often related to a fear of drowning or negative past experiences with water.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The aquaphobic child screamed at the sight of the bathtub.
  • Because she is aquaphobic, she avoids all boats and swimming pools.
  • His aquaphobic tendencies made learning to swim impossible.

Advanced Usage

• Clinical Context: The term is often used in psychological or medical contexts to describe a diagnosable anxiety disorder.
  • The therapist specialized in treating aquaphobic patients through gradual exposure.
• Descriptive Use: Can be used more generally to describe an extreme, non-clinical aversion.
  • After the shipwreck, he became temporarily aquaphobic.

Variants and Related Words

• Aquaphobia (n): The noun form denoting the phobia itself.
  • She was diagnosed with aquaphobia.
• Hydrophobic (adj): In common usage, this can be a near-synonym for "aquaphobic." In scientific contexts, "hydrophobic" describes physical repulsion from water (e.g., a hydrophobic coating).
  • The fabric is hydrophobic and repels water. (Scientific property)
  • He's so hydrophobic he won't even walk in the rain. (Colloquial fear)

Synonyms

• Water-fearing: Having a fear of water.
• Hydrophobic (in its colloquial sense): Afraid of water.

Antonyms

• Aquaphilic: Having a love of or attraction to water.
• Hydrophilic: In scientific contexts, having an affinity for water.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. abnormally afraid of water

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hydrophobic