paranoia
Americannoun
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Psychiatry. a mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions and the projection of personal conflicts, which are ascribed to the supposed hostility of others, sometimes progressing to disturbances of consciousness and aggressive acts believed to be performed in self-defense or as a mission.
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baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others.
noun
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a form of schizophrenia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of the personality, involving delusions and often hallucinations
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a mental disorder characterized by any of several types of delusions, in which the personality otherwise remains relatively intact
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informal intense fear or suspicion, esp when unfounded
Usage
What does paranoia mean? Paranoia is a mental disorder characterized by delusions and feelings of extreme distrust, suspicion, and being targeted by others.Paranoia is also commonly used more generally to mean extreme suspicion or irrational distrust of others. It’s important to understand that while paranoia is used generally outside of its psychiatric usage in a way that makes it seem less serious, having paranoia is a major symptom of disorders like paranoid schizophrenia and paranoid personality disorder.The adjective paranoid can be used to describe a person, action, or thought that exhibits paranoia.A rare alternate spelling for the word is paranoea.Example: Locking my doors at night isn’t a sign of paranoia—it just means I’m being cautious.
Discover More
In popular terminology, a “paranoid” personality is characterized by suspicion and distrust of others; a tendency to look for hidden meaning behind other people's actions; argumentativeness; complaining; low tolerance for criticism; and a constant display of one's own talents, accomplishments, independence, and rationality.
Other Word Forms
- paranoiac adjective
Etymology
Origin of paranoia
First recorded in 1805–15; from New Latin, from Greek paránoia “madness,” from paráno(os) “demented” (equivalent to para- 1 + nous ) + -ia -ia
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
My working theory is that they tap into audiences with a preexisting suspicion that the world is wicked — they prove paranoia to be well-founded.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
"There's paranoia around AI in every industry," said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.
From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026
We’ve also reached a point in the season at which previous groups of Traitors turned on each other for reasons similar to those that do in tyrannical cabals: mutual envy, paranoia and greed.
From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026
Whispers and doubts will be circulating all over Beijing and at every level of party and army leadership, checked only by the paranoia of officials fearing for their careers and lives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026
Waves of rumor and paranoia swept through the countryside, enveloping especially the powerless.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
