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
The paranoia that now governs American life echoes the paranoid logic of the domestic thriller.
—
Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Is Laura being paranoid, or is Cherry actually set on destroying Laura’s life?
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
For Hasan as well, this round of unrest felt different, reflecting both the brutality of an increasingly paranoid regime and a new level of public anger and appetite for confrontation.
—Sarah Dean, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
Rhode Islanders are the 22nd most paranoid about their online privacy, a new study has revealed.
—Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Judy Berman, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Is Laura being paranoid, or is Cherry actually set on destroying Laura’s life?
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
For Hasan as well, this round of unrest felt different, reflecting both the brutality of an increasingly paranoid regime and a new level of public anger and appetite for confrontation.
—Sarah Dean, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026
Rhode Islanders are the 22nd most paranoid about their online privacy, a new study has revealed.
—Will Richmond, The Providence Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
Adjective
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Capital expenditures, which are closely watched by investors who are worried about overspending, are expected to range between $175 billion to $185 billion in 2026.—
Jason Gewirtz,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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But Willie Brown, the former mayor and speaker was not worried that Newsom would overly burnish his own story in his book.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Be cautious about taking on new debt that assumes your current income is guaranteed.—
Matt Shumer,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Connecticut education leaders are expressing cautious optimism as the state Department of Education tries its hand at course development.—
Theo Peck-Suzuki,
Hartford Courant,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But turning this moment into lasting advantage will require careful planning, not just short-term opportunism.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
7 Feb. 2026
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Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Overall, the five-member panel of justices appeared skeptical of the prosecution’s arguments on those points.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Some fans can get skeptical when their favorite artists incorporate more Christian-adjacent messaging in their music.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Kansas sophomore guard Jamari McDowell actually didn’t have time to get nervous — or overthink his role — after learning freshman sensation Darryn Peterson would miss Monday’s game against Arizona because of flu-like symptoms.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
10 Feb. 2026
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Investors would understandably be nervous when both the CFO and the general counsel depart, according to Shivaram Rajgopal, an accounting professor at Columbia Business School.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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