as in anxiety
a feeling that one does not know the whole truth or that someone else is not being truthful
Each half of the unhappy couple was constantly wracked with paranoia that the other was cheating.
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Recent Examples of paranoia
Another glaring manifestation of the Kremlin’s increasing paranoia occurred during the May 9, 2026, Victory Day parade in Moscow.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 23 May 2026
But there is a growing sense of paranoia in Moscow, with security around the president tightened amid rumors of coup plots.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Poverty, unemployment and a constant state of paranoia have driven them to feel like they are trapped inside an artificial set, where every element in their lives feels fake and orchestrated by an ominpresent Big Brother-like business known as ALMA (Almighty Limitless Megacorporative Agency).
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 May 2026
This extreme trust sits uneasily against an extreme paranoia about our gadgets.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 23 May 2026
But there is a growing sense of paranoia in Moscow, with security around the president tightened amid rumors of coup plots.
—Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 23 May 2026
Poverty, unemployment and a constant state of paranoia have driven them to feel like they are trapped inside an artificial set, where every element in their lives feels fake and orchestrated by an ominpresent Big Brother-like business known as ALMA (Almighty Limitless Megacorporative Agency).
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 May 2026
This extreme trust sits uneasily against an extreme paranoia about our gadgets.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoia
Noun
-
Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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While menopause is biological, many of the symptoms associated with it, including sleep disruption, anxiety, mood instability, brain fog, and fatigue, can also be amplified by chronic stress and nervous system overload.—
Meggen Harris,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Noun
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Analysts have previously expressed concern that US stocks of the interceptors have been depleted by the Iran conflict as well as by last year’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, and noted that manufacturing more takes time.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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Those concerns that chopped 30% off cyber stocks earlier this year could not have been more wrong, as Jim Cramer had said all along.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
Noun
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But my father’s instinct didn’t approach the point of suspicion.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
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The institution itself has lost favor with many people in recent years, and Andrew’s Epstein scandal and his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office haven’t helped.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
31 May 2026
Noun
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While this novel is at times engaging and even includes one surprising turn, much is uneven – either predictable or requiring a huge suspension of disbelief.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
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Interview With the Vampire, and now The Vampire Lestat, require a suspension of disbelief and willingness to go beyond the normal mores of TV to enjoy its twists and pleasures to the fullest extent, and the crowd inside the theater was all too willing to go along with the kayfabe.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoia. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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