What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Paranoia vs Suspicion - What's the difference?

paranoia | suspicion |

As nouns the difference between paranoia and suspicion

is that paranoia is paranoia while suspicion is the act of suspecting something or someone, especially of something wrong.

As a verb suspicion is

(nonstandard|dialect) to suspect; to have suspicions.

paranoia

English

Alternative forms

* (qualifier)

Noun

(wikipedia paranoia) (en noun)
  • A psychotic disorder characterized by delusions of persecution.
  • Extreme, irrational distrust of others.
  • Derived terms

    * paranoiac * paranoic * paranoically * paranoid * paranoid schizophrenia

    References

    * “ ?Paranoia, paranœa]” listed on page 460 of volume VII (O, P) of '' [1st ed., 1909]
    ???Paranoia''' ( mind.]?Mental derangement; ''spec.'' chronic mental unsoundness characterized by delusions or hallucinations, esp. of grandeur, persecution, etc.?[¶; 4 quots.: 1857, 1891, 1892, 1899; ¶]?Hence '''Paranoi·ac, -œ·ac,''' a. ''adj.'' afflicted with paranoia; b. ''sb.''; also '''Parano·ic, -nœ·ic ''a.
    ?[¶; 3 quots.: 1857, 1892, 1899 ----

    suspicion

    English

    Alternative forms

    * suspition (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of suspecting something or someone, especially of something wrong.
  • The condition of being suspected.
  • Uncertainty, doubt.
  • *
  • In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.Strangers might enter the room, but they were made to feel that they were there on sufferance: they were received with distance and suspicion .
  • A trace, or slight indication.
  • * (Adolphus William Ward) (1837-1924)
  • The features are mild but expressive, with just a suspicion of saturnine or sarcastic humor.
  • The imagining of something without evidence.
  • Derived terms

    * suspicious * suspect * sneaking suspicion

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (nonstandard, dialect) To suspect; to have suspicions.
  • * (Rudyard Kipling)
  • Mulvaney continued— "Whin I was full awake the palanquin was set down in a street, I suspicioned , for I cud hear people passin' an' talkin'. But I knew well I was far from home.
  • * 2012 , B. M. Bower, Cow-Country (page 195)
  • "I've been suspicioning here was where they got their information right along," the sheriff commented, and slipped the handcuffs on the landlord.

    References

    * (EtymOnLine)