Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person suffering from paranoia. Paranoia is a mental condition characterized by delusions, especially of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, often organized into a logical system.

Usage

• The term paranoiac is a clinical and somewhat dated noun used to classify or describe an individual diagnosed with or displaying the symptoms of paranoia.
• It is important to use this term with sensitivity, as it refers to a serious mental health condition. In modern clinical contexts, terms like "a person with paranoia" are often preferred.

Examples

• The character in the novel was portrayed as a paranoiac, convinced that his neighbors were government spies.
• The psychiatrist evaluated the patient, concluding he was a paranoiac.
• Her paranoiac tendencies made it difficult for her to trust anyone, even her closest friends.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe behaviors or beliefs characteristic of paranoia.
  • He had a paranoiac fear of being followed.
  • She was gripped by paranoiac delusions.

Variants and Related Words

• Paranoia (noun): The condition itself.
  • His paranoia made social interactions impossible.
• Paranoid (adjective): Describing someone who has or shows paranoia; also used informally to mean excessively fearful or suspicious.
  • He became increasingly paranoid. (adjective describing state)
  • She has paranoid schizophrenia. (clinical adjective)
• Paranoid (noun): A less clinical synonym for "paranoiac."
  • He was a paranoid who kept detailed logs of every minor event.

Synonyms

• Persecution complex sufferer: A descriptive phrase focusing on a common delusion.
• (A) paranoid: A more common, though still clinical, noun.

Notes on Meaning

• The core meaning of paranoiac is specifically tied to the clinical condition of paranoia. It is not a synonym for someone who is merely suspicious or cautious.
• In historical or literary contexts, it may be used more broadly to describe someone with an irrational, systematized distrust of others.

Noun

1. a person afflicted with paranoia