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.

paranoid British  

/ ˈpærəˌnɔɪd /

adjective

1. of, characterized by, or resembling paranoia

2. informal exhibiting undue suspicion, fear of persecution, etc

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noun

1. a person who shows the behaviour patterns associated 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

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Explanation

Someone who is paranoid has an irrational and obsessive distrust of others, like your paranoid friend who worries that everyone from the principal to the neighborhood pre-schoolers are out to get him. A paranoid person suffers from paranoia, the unreasonable fear or irrational belief that other people are plotting to harm him or her. How can you spot paranoid people? They tend to obsess over other people talking about them. They believe there are no accidents or coincidences — the cafeteria running out of fries just as they reach the front of the line — just plans to hurt, embarrass, or otherwise bring them down.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paranoid

“Having lived through the pain of that, I’m suitably paranoid around all of this.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

The mundane, everyday requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act are a great tool for combating this paranoid strategy for targeting the marginalized.

From Slate ● Oct. 21, 2026

Calocane is serving an indefinite hospital order, after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, due to his paranoid schizophrenia, in January 2024.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

As I peeled the tape off my picture frames and glanced around the cleaned apartment, I wondered if I had been unnecessarily paranoid.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

I was feeling paranoid about this, because ever since my conversation with Jill, I kept thinking that I had to do it.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds

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