noun
- plural of germophobe; people who have an excessive fear of germs and contamination
Usage: informal; often used in a lighthearted or critical way
Examples
- Germophobes often wash their hands multiple times per hour.
- During the pandemic, many germophobes felt validated in their cleaning habits.
- My aunt is one of those germophobes who sanitizes everything in sight.
- Germophobes may avoid public transportation due to fear of bacteria.
- Some germophobes wear masks even when they're not sick.
- Not all germophobes have obsessive-compulsive disorder, but excessive germ fear can interfere with daily life.