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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paranoid
His brother, children, and ex-wife, Susan, describe a bitter, paranoid conspiracy theorist haunted by the past, lost in the face of shifting musical tastes, hopelessly addicted to alcohol, and manipulated by Amy to turn on his family.
—
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2025
Burns, the administration’s de facto Putin whisperer, had heard it all before and understood that the Russian leader’s paranoid obsession with Ukraine was real and unshakable.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
Richard is suspicious, paranoid, explosive, aggressive and defiant.
—Carol Marbin, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Described as a paranoid thriller in the vein of Esmail’s Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mr. Robot, as well as The Silence of the Lambs, the film’s logline is being kept under wraps.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paranoid 
Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2025
Burns, the administration’s de facto Putin whisperer, had heard it all before and understood that the Russian leader’s paranoid obsession with Ukraine was real and unshakable.
—Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 17 Jan. 2025
Richard is suspicious, paranoid, explosive, aggressive and defiant.
—Carol Marbin, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
Described as a paranoid thriller in the vein of Esmail’s Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mr. Robot, as well as The Silence of the Lambs, the film’s logline is being kept under wraps.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paranoid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paranoid
Adjective
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How worried should the team be about his availability for the playoffs?—
AAron Ontiveroz,
The Denver Post,
6 Feb. 2025
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Other Trump critics are worried about the humanitarian impact of cutting aid programs—Newsweek has reported on an AIDS foundation's estimation that more than 100,000 babies could be born with HIV as a result of Trump's freeze.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The employment sub-index also slumped to the lowest level in nearly five years, as businesses remained cautious amid economic uncertainty.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 Feb. 2025
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Doral Mayor Christi Fraga struck a more cautious tone.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Bass has employed a more careful and conciliatory tone.—
Julia Wick,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2025
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Leopold cautioned immigrants of any religious, national or ethnic background to be careful traveling.—
Pioneer Press,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But many Venezuelan opposition figures are skeptical of these Trump administration assurances.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2025
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Damas noted that shippers are still skeptical of the carriers’ ability to reach this figure, and rightfully so.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Both Hancock and Quaid recall their first meeting about the script — especially how nervous the actor was.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
4 Feb. 2025
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These tips can help nervous flyers manage or overcome their fear of the skies.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN,
3 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near paranoid
Cite this Entry
“Paranoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paranoid. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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