Pinkerton syndrome
- noun
- /ˈpɪŋkərtən ˈsɪnˌdroʊm/
- Specialized
- After her last relationship ended badly, she developed Pinkerton syndrome and found it hard to trust again.
Examples
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Therapists recognize Pinkerton syndrome in patients who consistently fear betrayal.
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His Pinkerton syndrome made it difficult for him to maintain friendships.
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She suffers from Pinkerton syndrome after years of betrayal.
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Do you think Pinkerton syndrome affects her relationships?
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After her last relationship ended badly, she developed Pinkerton syndrome and found it hard to trust again.
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Therapists recognize Pinkerton syndrome in patients who consistently fear betrayal.
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His Pinkerton syndrome made it difficult for him to maintain friendships.
Synonyms
68
3.1
A general feeling that other people cannot be trusted
54
3.5
A feeling that someone or something cannot be relied on
32
4.0
A feeling of not trusting someone or something
1
7.5
A feeling of not trusting other people
How Suspicious
Surface Forms
Morphology
Pinkerton + syndrome
The headword 'Pinkerton' is a proper name unfamiliar to most learners and gives no transparent semantic cue; 'syndrome' only signals a medical/psychological condition but not the specific content. Because the critical component is a culture-specific name that learners cannot infer, the meaning 'excessive suspicion or distrust' is not derivable from the parts.
Etymology
Pinkerton syndrome may come from the old Pinkerton detective agency, whose agents watched people closely and looked for signs of betrayal. So the word syndrome is used to mean a condition where someone feels too much 'suspicion' or 'distrust' and finds it hard to trust others after bad experiences.