irrational fear
Unfounded deep anxiety
An irrational fear is a fear that persists despite being disproportionate to any actual danger: She has an irrational fear of butterflies.
The term often describes phobias—intense anxieties triggered by specific objects or situations that pose little real threat.
What makes a fear irrational is the disconnect between the perceived danger and reality, though the fear itself feels entirely real to the person experiencing it.
- phobiaPersistent irrational dread
- aversionIntense dislike or repugnance
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- panic attackSudden intense fear episode
- fearEmotional response to threat
social anxiety · panic · racing thoughts · worst case scenario · neurosis · dread · fight-or-flight response · fight or flight · cold sweat · sweaty palms · catastrophizing · trembling · disproportionate · cognitive distortion · avoidance behavior · paranoia · hypervigilance · heart-pounding
- fearfear, dread, afraid, fright, frightened
- irrationalityirrationality, unreason, illogic, madness, insanity
irrational fearfearlessness
Complete lack of dread
courage · equanimity · composure · serenity · peace of mind