paranoia
Americannoun
-
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.
-
baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others.
noun
-
a form of schizophrenia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of the personality, involving delusions and often hallucinations
-
a mental disorder characterized by any of several types of delusions, in which the personality otherwise remains relatively intact
-
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Explanation
Something that happens to a person's thinking can lead to paranoia. You may believe that your friends no longer like you, but it's just that your paranoia makes you suspicious of everyone. Paranoia is from the Greek para-, "beyond, irregular," and noos, "mind." It is an irregularity of the mind, a mental disorder that distorts a person's perception of what is real. Someone with paranoia may believe that other people are out to get them or are watching them all the time. Doctors who treat paranoia look for causes, and while patients can develop the disorder gradually and sometimes due to life circumstances, such as abuse or neglect, the use and abuse of drugs can also cause paranoia.
Vocabulary lists containing paranoia
"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The building, filled to its ceilings, grew increasingly dilapidated; Langley’s paranoia about suspected intruders led him to build mazes of detritus to throw them off.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
Mr. Pynchon, a descendant of the colonial family fictionalized in “The House of the Seven Gables,” infuses his chronicle with a modern sense of paranoia and a taste for countercultural heresies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
All of them would later influence “Leviticus”’ visceral atmosphere of romance, paranoia and dread.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
The result in Beijing verged at times towards collective paranoia.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
Among the most progressive alienists, this kind of unfounded belief was known as a delusion, associated with a newly identified disorder called paranoia.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
It’s an uncanny combination of paranoias and legitimate concerns, but it’s undeniably working.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2020
There is the idea that the dead never do wholly cross, staying on in memory, shaping our projections, paranoias, desires and dreams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2018
We study the mechanics of crime not to fan our paranoias, but, rather, to defuse them—to tether our imaginations to facts.
From The New Yorker ● Dec. 16, 2015
On “Alligator,” the tension and turmoil of feeling past your peak when your youth’s still unfulfilled collect into biting little everyday paranoias and aggressions lurking just below the surface.
From New York Times ● Apr. 23, 2010
I remembered the walls made of grain sacks and ammunition boxes, of my father’s fears and paranoias, his scriptures and prophecies.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
