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
What follows is the type of taut paranoid thriller that defined many a ’70s classic, as Turner traces the threads of a complex web of intrigue.
—
Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
And as platforms like WEBB add their own datasets, the fodder for the paranoid fantasy of online conspiracy theories grows.
—Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 8 May 2026
Of all of the absurd litigation prompted by the paranoid man in charge, this has to be the most ridiculous.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
Instead, Putin spends more time in underground bunkers micromanaging his war, paranoid about a coup or an assassination attempt by Ukrainian drones, sources told the Financial Times.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 May 2026
And as platforms like WEBB add their own datasets, the fodder for the paranoid fantasy of online conspiracy theories grows.
—Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 8 May 2026
Of all of the absurd litigation prompted by the paranoid man in charge, this has to be the most ridiculous.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
Adjective
-
Kyoto, Japan — Nancy Higginbotham wasn’t worried when her 20-year-old son got on a train by himself during their family vacation in Japan.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Farmers are now worried the beef industry could be on the fritz for a while.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Americans are also increasingly cautious about where sensitive information like health data and financial records rest.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
-
The current government led by Donald Tusk has been more cautious, speaking only about a bigger role in nuclear deterrence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful and don’t overreact.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
But it's also made people even more skeptical of public figures whose appearances seem naturally frozen in time.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Many consumers are wary, skeptical, and even disgusted by AI content in ads.—
Melissa A. Wheeler,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Spinella shucks off sentimentality, always showing us Con’s offhand humor and sometimes nervous, defensive rambling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
Companies start to get nervous when the percentage of shareholders blessing their pay plans dips well below the average, which is slightly above 90%, said Elizabeth Bieber, partner at the law firm Freshfields who leads shareholder engagement.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
