paranoid

adjective

variants also paranoidal
Definition of paranoidnext
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.

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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 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 Chris Moltisanti flipped right before his death As Tony's crew and friend circle starts to shrink as the show goes on, our panic attack-prone paisan becomes increasingly paranoid and scrambles to find a successor. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 There’s moments where the audience does question her, but Rachel is ultimately a reliable narrator in the story, albeit the most paranoid and dysfunctional one. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
  1. worried
  2. cautious
  3. careful
  4. skeptical
  5. nervous
Adjective
  • The 18-year-old was sent to Adelanto ICE Detention Center in handcuffs, nearly a hundred miles away from his worried family members.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Holmes is worried about old shingles and tiles in construction material that could have asbestos leaking into the water supply.
    — Mary Ella Hastings July 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Teams are generally more cautious about cooling the legs, however, because cold applied directly to working muscles immediately before a match can temporarily blunt explosive actions such as sprinting.
    — Alan McCall, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • Legal experts said the slow pace reflects a cautious approach by Graf and the large volume of evidence.
    — Hannah Schoenbaum, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • When an accident brings the enigmatic Gaia into their lives, unexpected desires begin to take shape, unsettling the careful balance that has long defined their relationship.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 July 2026
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Deeply skeptical of his diplomatic attempts with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could view the president’s comments as an opening to continue operations both in Lebanon, against Hezbollah, or in Iran itself.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • As recently as last year, the bank’s executives were skeptical that ventures known for such voracious capital spending would be able to sustain their business models.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of skeptical
Adjective
  • The looming project was why Purohit was nervous to move her mother into Silverado last winter.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • For most of the last decade the threat argument was a transatlantic one, with a nervous eastern flank pulling against a distracted west.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of nervous

Browse Nearby Words

paranoiac
paranoid
paranormal
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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