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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 That applies to everyone from paranoid conspiracy theorists to presidents. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 In outline, these are elegant Bond-villain machines for faceless, leaderless, pervasive espionage and assassination, the stuff of paranoid nightmares and stochastic violence. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 The result is a sprawling theory combining paranoid interpretations of current events with historical conspiracies. — Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 These women can become depressed, isolated, paranoid — convinced their thinning hair is all other people see. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
  1. worried
  2. cautious
  3. careful
  4. skeptical
  5. nervous
Adjective
  • Franceschini was worried while the couple browsed the shops around the village before taking a casual walk onto the renowned wooden bridge.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The security founders were worried about regulatory and compliance risk.
    — Hammed Afenifere, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Drug development is highly regulated, and executives have good reasons to be cautious about changing how major decisions are made.
    — George Achilleos, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • McNamara also wanted to create a performance-focused, consumer-centric drive in a business that had grown up under the umbrella of a more cautious pharmaceutical company.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of cautious
Adjective
  • Renault is careful to frame this as a style exercise rather than a preview of a production model.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Awash with new property tax funds, local governments often haven’t been careful stewards of residents’ tax dollars.
    — Elaine Parker, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • The pledge from Walmart comes as concerns are mounting from some shoppers, consumer advocates and lawmakers skeptical about the rollout of digital price labels by the discounter and other stores.
    — Anne D’Innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Gary Marcus, a cognitive scientist known for his research on the intersection of psychology and AI, is also skeptical that AI agents could paralyze the internet.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of skeptical
Adjective
  • But Democrats are arguing that Trump is going to red states like Alabama because Republicans are nervous.
    — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The admittedly nervous executive started Monday’s news conferences by apologizing to the Clippers’ faithful for the aftermath of the Leonard situation.
    — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous

Browse Nearby Words

paranoiac
paranoid
paranormal
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Cite this Entry

“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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