variants
also paranoidal
as in worried
having extreme or unreasonable fear or suspicion
He was paranoid about break-ins and insisted on checking the locks himself every night.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paranoid
Eventually Nina grows paranoid, losing her grip on what’s real and what’s not.
—
Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
Alice is paranoid, thinking her roommate is rearranging her shower supplies and that someone might be poisoning her food.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump had won by fifty-three points there in 2016, and Greene’s paranoid pugnacity seemed like a good fit, if voters could stomach an outsider.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
In Bug on Broadway, Carrie Coon plays a small town waitress caught up in a web of paranoid delusions and conspiracy theories.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 12 Jan. 2026
Alice is paranoid, thinking her roommate is rearranging her shower supplies and that someone might be poisoning her food.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Trump had won by fifty-three points there in 2016, and Greene’s paranoid pugnacity seemed like a good fit, if voters could stomach an outsider.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
In Bug on Broadway, Carrie Coon plays a small town waitress caught up in a web of paranoid delusions and conspiracy theories.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
Adjective
-
Udoiwod was worried how his athleticism would bounce back this season.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
-
In the play, W is worried about the environmental impact of yet another human on the planet.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a major step forward in Japan’s long and cautious return to nuclear power and comes as the country braces for tight electricity supplies ahead of the summer peak.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
-
However, China is likely to stick with a cautious approach to its monetary policy, with banks expected to prioritize higher-quality borrowers over chasing loan growth — a stance Fitch said should help keep asset quality broadly stable.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Jan. 2026
-
These soft and chewy treats are the result of dozens of careful recipe tests.—
Lizzy Briskin,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Others are more skeptical about whether Greenland’s critical and rare earth minerals can significantly reduce the West’s dependence on China, which produced 70% of rare earths in 2024, according to Statista.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Told of the contamination by the Free Press, Oquendo was skeptical that it was contaminated.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Naturally, Duff was a little nervous for her return to performing.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
-
And Caroline Renee has a nervous, heartbroken energy as the granddaughter Lucy, who longs to end the family drama before her grandpa dies.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
