as in paranoid
having or showing a very nervous or disordered state of mind
Her neurotic tendencies tend to manifest in her obsessive need for cleanliness. Our dog is a bit neurotic; she tends to panic around strangers.
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Recent Examples of neurotic
Vanya is a closeted gay man who shuns intimacy and Sonia is a neurotic spinster who feels unnoticed and unloved.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
And Craig Waterman, the marketing executive from the 2024 film Friendship, took Robinson into new territory with a darker and more pathetic take on the same neurotic type.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Following his turn as the nerdy and neurotic Michael, David Krumholtz continued his role as head elf Bernard in 2002's The Santa Clause 2, and reprised the part on an episode of the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses in 2022.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
People can deliberately cultivate more conscientiousness, boost their sociability or soften their neurotic edges.
—Dave Winsborough, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neurotic
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
And Craig Waterman, the marketing executive from the 2024 film Friendship, took Robinson into new territory with a darker and more pathetic take on the same neurotic type.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Following his turn as the nerdy and neurotic Michael, David Krumholtz continued his role as head elf Bernard in 2002's The Santa Clause 2, and reprised the part on an episode of the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses in 2022.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025
People can deliberately cultivate more conscientiousness, boost their sociability or soften their neurotic edges.
—Dave Winsborough, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for neurotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neurotic
paranoid
Adjective
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And stay vigilant — not paranoid, but aware of your surroundings.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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The internal monologue is perhaps the more obvious choice for paranoid fiction, but by writing in dialogue, Dorfman puts us in the place of the listener with an ear pressed to a closed door, overhearing the anxious voices.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Neurotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neurotic. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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