paranoia

[par-uh-noi-uh] / ˌpær əˈnɔɪ ə /

NOUN

mental illness

Synonyms

STRONGEST

insanity mental disorder

WEAK

crack-up craziness delusions depression derangement disturbed mind emotional disorder emotional instability loss of mind lunacy madness maladjustment mania mental disease mental sickness nervous breakdown nervous disorder neurosis neurotic disorder phobia psychopathy psychosis sick mind troubled mind unbalanced mind unsoundness of mind

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.

Ms. Arno treats the affair with tact, showing how persecution and paranoia can become entangled without becoming identical.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

The result in Beijing verged at times towards collective paranoia.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

"My view is we should prepare for paranoia before the event," Uday Kotak, a veteran Indian banker, told a gathering of industry leaders this week, adding, "We must prepare for the worst."

From BBC • May 14, 2026

If you watched “Battlestar Galactica,” you’d know that was an actual paranoia human survivors had to contend with.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

The confidential FBI report on Regina dramatically points up the degree to which McCarthy-inspired paranoia gripped America at that time:

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Vocabulary lists containing paranoia

"The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)

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