Abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed places (noun)
Looking for the answer to the USA Today Rootonym clue “Abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed places (noun)”? The solution is CLAUSTROPHOBIA, a 14-letter word built on the root CLAUS (“close”). It appeared in the August 22, 2026 (Saturday) USA Today Rootonym. See the full puzzle for that day's other words.
Answer
CLAUSTROPHOBIA
CLAUS*********CLAUSmeans “close”
In a sentence
Patty trembled with CLAUSTROPHOBIA once Gail shut the door in her tiny, airless room.
About this clue
The Rootonym clue “Abnormal fear of being in narrow or enclosed places (noun)” has the answer CLAUSTROPHOBIA (14 letters), built on the root CLAUS, which means “close”. Browse the full August 22, 2026 Rootonym puzzle for the other three words, or see all Rootonym answers.