What emotion is suspicious?

Asked by: Dewitt Bogan  |  Last update: June 16, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (9 votes)

Suspicion is an emotion rooted in doubt, mistrust, and uncertainty, questioning someone's motives or the truth of a situation without definite proof, often linked to anxiety, fear of betrayal, or insecurity; it's a feeling of wariness where you believe something is wrong or dishonest, leading to watchfulness and a lack of faith.

Is suspicious an emotion?

Suspicion is neither fear, nor anger, nor curiosity. It is a new emotion: not a summation of the conditions, but a unique differentiation from them, with the quality that distinguishes it all its own.

What is the feeling of suspicion?

Suspicion is a cognition of mistrust in which a person doubts the honesty of another person or believes another person to be guilty of some type of wrongdoing or crime, but without sure proof. Suspicion can also be aroused in response to objects that negatively differ from an expected idea.

What is a suspicious mood?

Suspiciousness is defined as a tendency to harbor unjustified doubts about the intentions or reliability of others, often leading to misinterpretations of events as hostile or threatening. AI generated definition based on: Essentials of Mental Health, 2025.

What is a word for feeling suspicious?

distrustful. apprehensive careful cautious doubtful incredulous jealous leery mistrustful skeptical wary watchful.

Overcome Fear, Anger & Anxiety! | How to STOP Negative Thoughts & Emotions | Sadhguru

32 related questions found

Why am I feeling suspicious?

Feeling suspicious is a normal brain function, but if that's becoming a more regular feeling, it could be the symptom of a bigger issue. For example, if conspiracies are often top of mind, you may not feel safe.

What are the signs of suspicious behavior?

Suspicious behavior involves actions that suggest criminal intent or pre-operational planning, such as surveillance (lingering, taking notes/photos of security), eliciting information (asking unusual security questions), testing security (trying doors, probing systems), material acquisition (unusual purchases/storage of supplies/weapons), misrepresentation (fake IDs, uniforms), or threats/intimidating conduct (belligerence, threats of violence). Key indicators include changes in behavior when noticed, inappropriate attire for weather/occasion, and unusual loitering or pacing. 

Which are the 27 emotions?

A 2017 UC Berkeley study identified 27 distinct emotion categories, blending basic feelings like joy and sadness with nuanced states such as admiration, awe, craving, nostalgia, and triumph, showing emotions exist on gradients rather than as isolated points, and these categories were mapped using video clips to evoke specific feelings. The list includes Admiration, Adoration, Aesthetic Appreciation, Amusement, Anxiety, Awe, Awkwardness, Boredom, Calmness, Confusion, Craving, Disgust, Empathetic Pain, Entrancement, Envy, Excitement, Fear, Horror, Interest, Joy, Nostalgia, Romance, Sadness, Satisfaction, Sexual Desire, Sympathy, and Triumph, notes Forbes and Psychology Today. 

What is a suspicious personality?

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is a psychiatric condition distinguished by a pervasive distrust and suspicion of others, leading to impairments in psychosocial functioning. PPD is distinct from schizophrenia spectrum disorders, although it can be a precursor to schizophrenia.

What emotion is suspense?

The Random House Dictionary (1987) defines suspense as “a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety” (p. 1917)1.

What is suspiciousness in psychology?

Suspiciousness (or paranoia in its extreme) is a symptom that involves the exaggerated tendency to believe that other people intend harm, especially to oneself.

What are the characteristics of a suspicious person?

The following are some examples of behaviors that could be considered suspicious: Persons monitoring areas, entrances to buildings or buildings. Persons pacing back and forth who appear to be dazed or confused. A person pulling on multiple doorknobs or trying to open residence hall/office rooms.

What kind of emotion is scared?

Fear is one of the seven universal emotions experienced by everyone around the world. Fear arises with the threat of harm, either physical, emotional, or psychological, real or imagined.

What emotion is associated with overthinking?

Often overthinking can be the result of feeling strong emotions of fear, panic, anger, excessive worry, etc.

What causes a person to be suspicious?

It is often seen in people with low self-esteem, but also in people who have extreme self-admiration and are not open to criticism. A suspicious person who is in the position of a boss, will put his workers through hell as he will constantly be thinking that he may be harmed in some way.

What is the hardest mental illness to live with?

There's no single "hardest" mental illness, as experiences vary, but Schizophrenia and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are frequently cited due to their severe impact on reality, relationships, and daily functioning, alongside conditions like Anorexia Nervosa, Bipolar Disorder, and severe OCD, which profoundly disrupt life with symptoms like delusions, intense mood swings, uncontrollable compulsions, and extreme self-starvation, often compounded by stigma and cognitive challenges. 

What is similar to a narcissist?

Histrionic personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder are similar in that they are both Cluster B personality disorders. Aside from HPD and NPD, the other personality disorders in Cluster B are borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder.

What are the six strongest emotions?

A popular example is Paul Ekman and his colleagues' cross-cultural study of 1992, in which they concluded that the six basic emotions are anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise.

What is the 7th emotion?

The seven emotions include anger, fear, worry, anxiety, joy, sadness or grief, and fright. Each emotion has unique characteristics, physiological responses, and behavioral expressions, allowing individuals to perceive and respond to the world around them.

What are the 8 core emotions?

The 8 basic emotions, often based on Robert Plutchik's model, are Joy, Trust, Fear, Surprise, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Anticipation, acting as building blocks for more complex feelings, with each having an opposite (e.g., Joy vs. Sadness) and varying intensities. These foundational emotions help explain behaviors like fight (anger) or flight (fear) and form the basis for other feelings like love (joy + trust) or cynicism (anticipation + disgust).

How to spot a suspicious person?

This could include constantly looking around, discomfort, staring at nothing, or asking questions indicating they are paranoid. Nervous behavior can indicate that someone is potentially guilty of something or that they are a victim. Being able to identify nervous behavior can potentially help save someone's life.

What makes a person seem suspicious?

Making threatening statements and/or actions. Looking into the windows of vehicles or residences. Leaving parcels or bags in unusual places (or unattended) People in or around buildings or areas who do not appear to be conducting legitimate business.

What is considered suspicious?

A person behaves strangely or exhibits unusual movements. A person concealing an object or carrying a weapon. A person looking into cars, moving from car to car, and/or tries door handle. A person looking into offices, patient rooms, labs, windows, or forcibly entering a car or a room.