paranoid

adjective

para·​noid ˈper-ə-ˌnȯid 

ˌpa-rə-

variants or less commonly paranoidal

ˌper-ə-ˈnȯi-dᵊl 

ˌpa-rə-

1

: characterized by or resembling paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia

a paranoid psychiatric patient

2

: characterized by suspiciousness, persecutory trends, or megalomania

behaving in a paranoid manner with accusations of persecutions

3

: extremely fearful

was so paranoid that he was afraid to walk the streets

paranoid noun

Examples of paranoid in a Sentence

I guess I was just being paranoid.

She's a little paranoid about her job.

It's nothing more than a paranoid fantasy.

Recent Examples on the Web

That becomes a great way to place him in a paranoid thriller, which is a genre that’s about mistrust of institutions and individuals. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2025

The process of selecting the next pope is turned into a taught, twisty, paranoid thriller. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Feb. 2025

The actor went on to appear in the paranoid thriller Three Days of the Condor (1975) and Brian De Palma’s Obsession (1976). —EW.com, 28 Jan. 2025

Now the roles are reversed, and Democrats are feeling paranoid. —Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing paranoid

• paranoid schizophrenia

Kids Definition

paranoid

1 of 2 adjective

para·​noid

ˈpar-ə-ˌnȯid

1

: resembling paranoia

2

: marked especially by suspiciousness, distrust, and feelings of persecution

3

: extremely fearful

grew paranoid about losing her job

paranoid

2 of 2 noun

: one who is paranoid

Medical Definition

paranoid

1 of 2 adjective

para·​noid ˈpar-ə-ˌnȯid 

variants also paranoidal

ˌpar-ə-ˈnȯid-ᵊl 

1

: characterized by or resembling paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia

2

: characterized by suspiciousness, persecutory trends, or megalomania

paranoid

2 of 2 noun

: one affected with paranoia or paranoid schizophrenia

called also paranoiac