Skip to main content
paranoiac

paranoiac

1 9.8
A person who wrongly thinks others want to harm them
  • noun
  • /ˌpærəˈnoɪ.æk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : paranoico
  • Cos you've got to stop hurting the two of us by these paranoiac tantrums.
  • paranoiac schizophrenic
  • a paranoiac paranoid

I I'm not saying that I'm not saying in the way of right wing paranoiacs that they are evil people who want to destroy American way of life.

Examples

  • The film's protagonist was a paranoiac who believed that everyone was plotting against him.

  • Whether one is the paranoiac alter ego of the other, I cannot say.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • You know they're all paranoiac, these guys.

  • Perhaps this was the work of a sadist or a paranoiac.

  • Yes, we've had several days discussion about that... and most of us agree that Judd is paranoiac and Artie's schizophrenic.

  • Many artists are often viewed as paranoiac because they see hidden meanings and conspiracies in everything around them.

  • During the meeting, his comments revealed he was becoming increasingly paranoiac about the company's decisions.

Synonyms

paranoid
vsparanoiac
4 7.3

A person who feels very afraid and does not trust other people

is marked by persistent delusions of persecution and lasting suspicion

How Suspicious

paranoiac
  • Specialized
1 9.8
suspicious
138 3.2
cautious
210 2.9
trusting
12 2.1

Surface Forms

paranoiac singular
paranoiacs plural

Morphology

paranoiac = paranoia (transparent) = paranoia + iac

The meaning is directly predictable from 'paranoia' + the suffix '-iac' meaning a person characterized by the condition.

Etymology

Paranoiac comes from Greek parts para- meaning 'beyond' and noia meaning 'mind'. So a paranoiac is someone whose mind is seen as 'beyond' the usual, which helps explain why they often feel strong suspicion and think others are against them even when they are not.