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Definition of paranoid adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

paranoid

adjective
 
/ˈpærənɔɪd/
 
/ˈpærənɔɪd/
(also less frequent paranoiac
 
/ˌpærəˈnɔɪæk/
 
/ˌpærəˈnɔɪɪk/
)
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  1. believing that other people dislike you or want to harm you, when there is no reason or evidence for this
    • She's getting really paranoid about what other people say about her.
    • You're just being paranoid.
    Synonyms afraidafraidfrightened ▪ scared ▪ terrified ▪ alarmed ▪ paranoidThese words all describe feeling or showing fear.afraid [not before noun] feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • There’s nothing to be afraid of.
    • Aren’t you afraid (that) you’ll fall?
    frightened feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • a frightened child
    • She was frightened that the glass would break.
    scared (rather informal) feeling fear; worried that something bad might happen:
    • The thieves got scared and ran away.
     afraid, frightened or scared?Scared is more informal, more common in speech, and often describes small fears. Afraid cannot come before a noun. It can only take the preposition of, not about. If you are afraid/​frightened/​scared of somebody/​something/​doing something or afraid/​frightened/​scared to do something, you think you are in danger of being hurt or suffering in some way. If you are frightened/​scared about something/​doing something, it is less a fear for your personal safety and more a worry that something unpleasant might happen.terrified very frightened:
    • I was terrified (that) she wouldn’t come.
    • They looked into the cave with wide, terrified eyes.
    alarmed afraid that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen:
    • He was alarmed at the prospect of travelling alone.
    paranoid (rather informal) afraid of other people for no reason or suspecting that they are trying to harm you, when really they are not:
    • You’re just being paranoid.
    Patterns
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared of spiders, etc.
    • frightened/​scared/​paranoid about …
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared/​terrified that …
    • afraid/​frightened/​scared to open the door, etc.
    • Don’t be afraid/​frightened/​scared/​alarmed.
  2. (psychology) having false beliefs because of a mental illness, especially the belief that people are trying or planning to harm you
    • paranoid delusions
    • paranoid schizophrenia
    • a paranoid schizophrenic
    Topics Mental healthc2
See paranoid in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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