What is the Fear of Long Words Called?

Sep 9, 2025, 15:32 IST

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a fear of long words, which is a real and genuine phobia. It can cause nervousness and anxiety in those who have it. The fear often comes from a person's past negative experiences with long words or from performance anxiety. Simple relaxation techniques can help overcome this, while in more severe cases, therapy is a great option.

Fear of Long Words
Fear of Long Words

Fear of long words: Imagine, the term used for the phobia of long words is actually itself one of the longest words in the dictionary. Crazy, right? Well, that’s true. The official term for this phobia is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Yep, the word itself is so long that it almost feels like a cruel joke on the people who suffer from it. Luckily, some just shorten it to sesquipedalophobia, which still is not short, but at least it’s easier to pronounce.

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How to Pronounce Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia

Okay, start slow, Here’s a simple breakdown to make it less scary, say, hip-po-po-to-mon-stro-ses-quip-ped-alio-pho-bia

Say it slowly, word by word, and it becomes way easier. Think of it like a tongue workout rather than a trap

 

How long is hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia?

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is 36 letters long. The word is deliberately long and complex, creating a paradoxical situation since it is the name for the fear of long words.

How Do You Deal With Fear of Long Words?

Yes, you may deal and come over this fear as it is not a life time thing. Here are a few ways people overcome it:

1. Start small - Read short words, then slowly challenge yourself with bigger ones.

2. Break it down - Chop long words into parts (like hip-po-po-to-mon-stro…).

3. Relax techniques-  Breathing exercises can calm anxiety when facing difficult words.

4. Therapy- Talking to a professional helps a lot, especially with confidence issues.

Which is the Longest Word?

As we are here, let’s just know the longest word recorded till now! It is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (yep, it’s real). It’s a lung disease caused by inhaling fine volcanic dust. But don’t worry, most doctors just call it ‘silicosis.’

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Conclusion

So, what is the fear of long words called? Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - the ultimate tongue-twister. While it might make us giggle, for people living with it, the fear is real and tied to confidence and anxiety around language.

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Sneha Singh
Sneha Singh

Content Writer

    Sneha Singh is a US News Content Writer at Jagran Josh, covering major developments in international policies and global affairs. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Amity University, Lucknow Campus. With over six months of experience as a Sub Editor at News24 Digital, Sneha brings sharp news judgment, SEO expertise and a passion for impactful storytelling.

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