paranoid
adjective
para·noid
ˈper-ə-ˌnȯid 
ˌpa-rə-
variants
or less commonly paranoidal
ˌper-ə-ˈnȯi-dᵊl
ˌpa-rə-
1
: characterized by or resembling paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia
a paranoid psychiatric patient
2
: characterized by suspiciousness, persecutory trends, or megalomania
behaving in a paranoid manner with accusations of persecutions
3
: extremely fearful
was so paranoid that he was afraid to walk the streets
paranoid
noun
Examples of paranoid in a Sentence
I guess I was just being paranoid.
She's a little paranoid about her job.
It's nothing more than a paranoid fantasy.
Recent Examples on the Web
She’s been attacked, her puritanical sister has landed from America, and murder is starting to feel less like a paranoid theory than a reasonable working assumption.
—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
Initially skeptical, Tom becomes increasingly paranoid after a sailor who got lost in the fog essentially goes mad, with his eyes turning white just before dying.
—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 June 2026
Witnesses testified that Sherman, who had grown paranoid, was armed with a gun and shot Makinano twice in the back as Makinano attempted to get away.
—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Protesters and political opposition alike now must reckon with an increasingly paranoid regime that has witnessed enemy infiltration and faces Trump’s claims of arming ethnic opposition groups.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
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Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
Initially skeptical, Tom becomes increasingly paranoid after a sailor who got lost in the fog essentially goes mad, with his eyes turning white just before dying.
—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 June 2026
Witnesses testified that Sherman, who had grown paranoid, was armed with a gun and shot Makinano twice in the back as Makinano attempted to get away.
—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
Protesters and political opposition alike now must reckon with an increasingly paranoid regime that has witnessed enemy infiltration and faces Trump’s claims of arming ethnic opposition groups.
—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paranoid. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
paranoid
1 of 2 adjective
para·noid
ˈpar-ə-ˌnȯid
variants
also paranoidal
1
: characterized by or resembling paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia
2
: characterized by suspiciousness, persecutory trends, or megalomania
paranoid
2 of 2 noun
: one affected with paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia
called also paranoiac
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