Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Showing results for paranoia. Search instead for paranoica.
Definitions

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.

Unable to sleep after a traumatic birth in 2024, Lizzy quickly deteriorated into a state of psychosis - a potentially life-threatening condition that can cause hallucinations, severe insomnia and paranoia.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

The action films are likewise both packed with paranoia and betrayal.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

The paranoia and fear fomented by the sweeping immigration crackdown in the Midwestern state has led many migrants -- both those with legal status and those without -- to shelter at home, campaigners say.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

We’ve also reached a point in the season at which previous groups of Traitors turned on each other for reasons similar to those that do in tyrannical cabals: mutual envy, paranoia and greed.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

Mass paranoia so gripped the ghettos, reminding me of the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution, that I could not even trust my own mother.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane