paranoid

Archaic, par·a·noi·ac;

[par-uh-noid]

adjective

1. of, like, or experiencing paranoia.

noun

1. a person with paranoia.

Word History and Origins

Origin of paranoid¹

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

Example Sentences

Multiple sources who approached the BBC described feeling "paranoid", "insecure", "isolated" and "mentally unwell" after learning that "secret files" were being kept on them.

From BBC

Subsequently, a court was told the defendant's mental health began to decline in 2023, with Tape becoming paranoid and then jealous.

From BBC

"More people are paranoid, prone to conspiracy theories. Large numbers of people are giving up on the idea of facts."

From BBC

Counter-accusations ensue, leaving Roberts’ character unsure whom to believe and paranoid that this blame tsunami will cause her own ethically dubious past to surface.

From Los Angeles Times

I get kind of paranoid sometimes because there’s always a billion things in my head.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

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.