monophobia

[mon-uh-foh-bee-uh]

noun

1. an irrational or disproportionate fear of being alone.

monophobia

/ ˌmɒnəʊˈfəʊbɪə /

noun

1. a strong fear of being alone

Other Word Forms

• monophobic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monophobia¹

First recorded in 1880–85; mono- + -phobia

Example Sentences

Mvula’s 2016 album, “The Dreaming Room,” grappled with, among other things, the end of her marriage and her bouts of depression and panic attacks; she suffered from monophobia, fear of being alone.

From New York Times

For years he's been open about his struggles with stress, anxiety and depression, as well as acute psychological conditions such as dissociative identity disorder, agoraphobia and monophobia.

From BBC

Yet, as Matthew Parris pointed out in a recent column, there is a pervasive and barely mentioned culture of “monophobia”– a widespread “assumption that we can only find contentment in a couple” which, he argued, “has become a tyranny that needs to be challenged”.

From The Guardian

Monophobia, mon-ō-fō′bi-a, n. morbid dread of being left alone.

From Project Gutenberg

And cursed with monophobia, none the less This Lowell lived alone there near LeRoy, Surrounded by his servants, at his desk A secretary named McGill, who took Such letters, editorials as he spoke.

From Project Gutenberg

When To Use

What does monophobia mean?

Monophobia is the abnormal fear of being alone.Some people have phobias, which are ”fears associated with specific objects or activities.” These abnormal (unusual) fears are typically considered irrational (not based on reason) because the object of the fear isn’t usually harmful. Often, these fears are formed around a traumatic event.Monophobia is different from separation anxiety, but the two are sometimes discussed alongside each other.Example: My monophobia makes it difficult for me to take trips alone.