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
Within the parameters of a game—where non-player characters essentially function as different disguises for, and manifestations of, a single narrative engine—such paranoia might not be unjustified.
—
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Between the jealousy, paranoia, and a shocking cake-cutting scene that'd give any wedding planner a lifetime of nightmares, The Girlfriend puts a soapy, sexy, scary spin on well-trodden monster-in-law territory.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Less commonly, some people experience psychotic symptoms, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, paranoia, confusion or emotional distress.
—Hollis Karoly, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
The drug triggered severe dopamine spikes that could lead to violence, paranoia, psychosis and death.
—Jonathan Corum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Between the jealousy, paranoia, and a shocking cake-cutting scene that'd give any wedding planner a lifetime of nightmares, The Girlfriend puts a soapy, sexy, scary spin on well-trodden monster-in-law territory.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Less commonly, some people experience psychotic symptoms, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, paranoia, confusion or emotional distress.
—Hollis Karoly, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026
The drug triggered severe dopamine spikes that could lead to violence, paranoia, psychosis and death.
—Jonathan Corum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoia
Noun
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Incoming college freshmen are easy targets for people looking to profit from anxiety about loneliness, which the former US Surgeon General called an epidemic.—
Mary Frances Ruskell,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
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Maygen says Paisley has struggled with anxiety ever since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 2 years old.—
Nicki Cox,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The front office also faced growing concerns about whether Reese’s presence would deter the signing of returning veterans and key free agents the Sky had targeted.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Mercury in your 2nd House of Values keeps practical concerns active.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The elder DeCosta had other suspicions.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The officers had transported the suspect, who had been arrested on suspicion of robbery, to the hospital for observation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At breakfast with her brother and his fiancée, the moment quickly shifted from casual concern to disbelief.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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New recipe for sustainable hydrogen While running a control experiment — a test meant to show what shouldn’t work — the team watched in disbelief as the basic mixture began bubbling with energy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoia. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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