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
Lehane taps into the paranoia of the 1950s with aplomb, with meticulous research into the McCarthy era.
—
Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
The paranoia is strong in this score.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Will there be more paranoia about double agent demigods?
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Jan. 2026
Parents often describe sudden changes in behavior, paranoia, withdrawal, or impulsive decision-making.
—William Jones, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
The paranoia is strong in this score.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 22 Jan. 2026
Will there be more paranoia about double agent demigods?
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Jan. 2026
Parents often describe sudden changes in behavior, paranoia, withdrawal, or impulsive decision-making.
—William Jones, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoia
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoia
Noun
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Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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So having another person in her space was always a little surprising, even if the curator, gazing at her with his usual mix of mild reproach and gauzy concern, seemed not abundantly different from the empty chair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
While health has always been a personal concern, now there are more ways for leadership to support these habits through intentional programming.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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All the while, Tony Award winning director David Cromer (The Band’s Visit) exploits audience suspicion.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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Priya, meanwhile, turns her suspicions on Jack as well as the elusive Catherine, who yields no results on a Google search save for an article about her dead older sister.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Against Purdue on Wednesday night, however, UCLA already led comfortably when Dugalić placed her palms on her head in disbelief when the Bruins parted with their challenge; the 6-foot-4 post player profusely apologized to her coach on the sidelines.—
Benjamin Royer,
Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
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In fact, Carrick’s team was the stronger outfit, dominating City in a way that surely had some supporters rubbing their eyes in disbelief.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoia. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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