Word of the Day: Kakorrhaphiophobia

The exact meaning of the word of the day, kakorrhaphiophobia, is “abnormal fear of failure,” according to Merriam-Webster. Collins Dictionary describes the word as “fear of failure or defeat.”

Kakorrhaphiophobia is a rare and highly specific psychological term that refers to an irrational and persistent fear of failure. Taken together, the term conveys the idea of a deep anxiety about doing something poorly, making mistakes, or falling short of expectations.

At its core, kakorrhaphiophobia is not simply a dislike of failing or a preference for success, feelings that are normal and universal. Instead, it describes a disproportionate and often overwhelming fear that can interfere with decision-making, performance, and everyday functioning.


This fear often manifests as excessive self-doubt, perfectionism, procrastination, or avoidance behavior. The individual may set unrealistically high standards or abandon efforts entirely to protect themselves from the emotional distress associated with failing.

Importantly, kakorrhaphiophobia is rooted in anticipatory anxiety, the fear of what failure might represent, such as embarrassment, rejection, loss of self-worth, or judgment by others. The fear is not always tied to actual past failures but often to imagined consequences.

In precise terms, kakorrhaphiophobia describes a pathological fear of failure that exceeds rational concern, shaping behavior and choices in a way that restricts learning, risk-taking, and self-expression.

Kakorrhaphiophobia is also associated with several related phobias that share similar effects but differ slightly in focus. Atelophobia, the fear of imperfection, is closely related, as individuals may fear failure primarily because they cannot tolerate making mistakes.

Kakorrhaphiophobia refers to an irrational fear of failure, and its meaning closely aligns with terms that describe anxiety or distress linked to the possibility of failing.