paranoid

American  

[par-uh-noid] / ˈpær əˌnɔɪd /

Archaic, paranoiac;

adjective

1. of, like, or experiencing paranoia.

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noun

1. a person with paranoia.

Usage

What does paranoid mean? Paranoid is an adjective used to describe someone who has the mental disorder paranoia, which is characterized by delusions and feelings of extreme distrust, suspicion, and being targeted by others. Such thoughts and actions can also be described as paranoid.Paranoid is also commonly used more generally to mean overly suspicious or irrationally distrustful of others. It’s important to understand that while paranoid is used generally outside of its psychiatric usage in a way that makes it seem less serious, being paranoid is a major symptom of disorders like paranoid schizophrenia and paranoid personality disorder.Example: Just because I lock my doors at night doesn’t mean I’m being paranoid—it just means I’m being cautious.

Etymology

Origin of paranoid

First recorded in 1900–05; paranoi(a) + -oid, with base and suffix merged, perhaps by shortening of the expected but unrecorded paranoioid

Example Sentences

“Only the paranoid survive,” added Lake, who is among the leaders viewed as a potential successor to Dimon.

From Barron's

Calocane, who had suffered with paranoid delusions and symptoms of psychosis, had also researched "mind control technology".

From BBC

Evidence will be heard relating to the actions of agencies that had previously dealt with Calocane, who had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

From BBC

“Armed police began to arrive in a truck and they told us to get out. And people were just paranoid, even crying.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Such reports likely made the Chinese leadership feel vulnerable and “paranoid,” Wilder said.

From The Wall Street Journal