paranoia Hear it!

paranoia Definition

para·noia (par′ə no̵iə)

noun

Psychiatry a mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions, as of grandeur or, esp., persecution, often, except in a schizophrenic state, with an otherwise relatively intact personality

Etymology: ModL < Gr, derangement < para-, beside (see para-) + nous, the mind

paranoia Synonyms

paranoia

n.

mental disorder, fright, fear; see complex 1, insanity 1.

paranoia Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • induce: Cocaine, on the other hand, damages the heart, can lead to strokes, and can induce paranoia.
  • create: The plain contradictions, almost bound to create paranoia.
  • increase: I thought: ' Why increase the paranoia about HIV?
  • cause: It's an aerosolized gas which in small doses caused anxiety paranoia in it's subject.
  • include: A high dose will produce more disturbing effects on the users mind, including paranoia.
  • have: I have enough paranoia in my soul on a local level to last me.

Converse of subject

accompany: Depression is often accompanied by paranoia and sometimes psychosis.

Adjective modifier

  • mild: In attempting to set history straight, one is occasionally touched by mild paranoia.
  • extreme: Extreme paranoia within the group May have been present.
  • urban: Judith Williamson, ' Up Where You Belong ' Week Two Anxiety and urban paranoia.
  • total: I call it the dream of total paranoia, in which the will shores up the appearance of normal reality.
  • political: Not even Hollywood was immune from the birth pangs of unionism and pre- McCarthy era political paranoia over the secret revolution of the masses.
  • own: Yet on EP B, Battles seeks deep into their own paranoia.

Modifies a noun

speaking: That isn't paranoia speaking, that's exactly what this horrible group of managers is like.

Noun used with modifier

war: Not bad for a bit of American cold war paranoia.

Preposition: of

  • people: Picard sighed in amazement at the barbaric paranoia of these people.
  • techno-fetishism: Simultaneously deeply involved with technology and deeply suspicious of its effects, Gibson's work celebrates both the liberation and paranoia of techno-fetishism.
  • era: Remembering that this would have been written during the height of the cold war, it is full of the paranoia of the era.
  • time: All this suggests that Tate was either acting under instructions from the ministry, or was accurately reflecting the paranoia of the times.