neurotic

adjective

Definition of neuroticnext
as in paranoid
having or showing a very nervous or disordered state of mind Her neurotic tendencies tend to manifest in her obsessive need for cleanliness. Our dog is a bit neurotic; she tends to panic around strangers.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of neurotic It’s been over 30 years since America’s favorite neurotic married couple premiered on NBC. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 6 June 2026 When a conversation ends without a real answer, when a situation is explained away rather than actually explained, the discomfort is not neurotic or petty. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 But the real shock here is Wilde, who not only knows how to keep viewers on the back foot as a filmmaker but slides into a neurotic register and off-kilter comic timing for her high-strung hostess that fit her like rubber glove. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026 The beloved Jack Russell Terrier, known for his hard stare, often played the straight dog to the neurotic Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) and Niles (David Hyde). — Camille Perri, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for neurotic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for neurotic
paranoid
Adjective
  • Given that the conflict between Rudd and Marcus becomes sweaty as hell to begin with (Rudd grows paranoid that Marcus will steal his spotlight), Spicer’s film would have been well-served to paper over it in favor of a few extra gags.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 June 2026
  • She’s been attacked, her puritanical sister has landed from America, and murder is starting to feel less like a paranoid theory than a reasonable working assumption.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 June 2026
Definition of paranoid

Browse Nearby Words

neurosis
neurotic
neuroticism
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Cite this Entry

“Neurotic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/neurotic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on neurotic

Nglish: Translation of neurotic for Spanish Speakers

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