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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paranoid
After a career defined by playing gangsters, an avenging taxi driver and a paranoid prize fighter, Robert De Niro will be issuing a call for civility, as first spoken by Abraham Lincoln.
—
ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
And, given time, an even more paranoid and aggressive regime would rebuild its arsenal.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
The primary tension here is between Kyle and Camille, two women locked in a season-long battle of paranoid insecurity and misread intentions.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Making Verification Normal, Not Niche ClarityCheck aims to reframe verification from a rare or paranoid action into a casual, everyday safety habit, no more unusual than Googling a product before buying it.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
ABC News, 3 Mar. 2026
And, given time, an even more paranoid and aggressive regime would rebuild its arsenal.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 26 Feb. 2026
The primary tension here is between Kyle and Camille, two women locked in a season-long battle of paranoid insecurity and misread intentions.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Making Verification Normal, Not Niche ClarityCheck aims to reframe verification from a rare or paranoid action into a casual, everyday safety habit, no more unusual than Googling a product before buying it.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
Adjective
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Her advice to anyone who is worried about giant hogweed is to take steps to identify it.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
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So, should human artists be worried?—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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With multiple players coming back from injury — as well as a questionable turf field — the Current opted to take a cautious approach.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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Lee says Everpure’s initial approach to generative AI was fairly cautious after the launch of ChatGPT, as the company wanted to take time to set up governance protocols around data privacy and security.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An assembly of planets in Aries moves through your twelfth house, stirring emotions behind the scenes and asking for careful tending.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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To the begonia collectors out there, Begona Black Velvet, with large leaves that could have fallen from a maple tree, is worth a careful look.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Asselin is skeptical of the state's job claims, since automation and technology changes come fast.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Oil prices climbed as investors grew skeptical of efforts to end the war.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even small amounts of mercury can cause severe damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as to the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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Four more years of antibiotics made Morales nervous.—
Eric Boodman,
STAT,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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