claim 1 of 2

verb

ˈklām How to pronounce claim (audio)
Definition of claimnext
1
as in to insist
to state as a fact usually forcefully people who claim that they have been kidnapped by aliens from other worlds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to demand
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority after many years had passed, he suddenly appeared to claim his inheritance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to destroy
to deprive of life cancer claims hundreds of thousands of Americans each year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to need
to have as a requirement caring for her three small children claims virtually all of her time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

claim

2 of 2

noun

1
as in right
an entitlement to something I'm announcing my claim to that last slice of pizza

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stake
a legal right to participation in the advantages, profits, and responsibility of something a shareholder has a claim in the business

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in assertion
a solemn and often public declaration of the truth or existence of something Galileo's claim that the moon has a very irregular surface and thus is not the perfect sphere that the ancients had imagined

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in request
something that someone insists upon having young children make great claims on their parents' time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb claim contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of claim are demand, exact, and require. While all these words mean "to ask or call for something as due or as necessary," claim implies a demand for the delivery or concession of something due as one's own or one's right.

claimed the right to manage his own affairs

In what contexts can demand take the place of claim?

The synonyms demand and claim are sometimes interchangeable, but demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands.

demanded payment of the debt

When would exact be a good substitute for claim?

The words exact and claim are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands.

exacts absolute loyalty

Where would require be a reasonable alternative to claim?

In some situations, the words require and claim are roughly equivalent. However, require suggests the imperativeness that arises from inner necessity, compulsion of law or regulation, or the exigencies of the situation.

the patient requires constant attention

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 claim
Verb
Müller’s central argument has been that populism should primarily be defined as a movement in which a leader claims to represent a silenced or forgotten—and almost always exclusionary—majority. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025 Jenkins claimed that once this new and sustainable arrangement was in place, but with The Chosen still streaming on Angel, the studio began to violate the terms of their contract. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
Smith and Hill, who was also named in the lawsuit, both vehemently denied all claims of wrongdoing and accused the plaintiffs of being jealous of Piper’s popularity and success. —Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025 Rather than a time of reconciliation, Lee’s surrender was a moment in which a wide range of Americans, including both generals, staked rival political claims. — Made By History, Time, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
  1. insist
  2. demand
  3. destroy
  4. need
  5. right
  6. stake
  7. assertion
  8. request
Verb
  • Sheinbaum remained vague on details, but insisted that her administration would seek to work with Trump.
    — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • All of which leaves Francis, the spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics, insisting on a welcoming and internationalist worldview that has gone out of style.
    — Jason Horowitz, Vogue, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of insist
Verb
  • In one letter, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee demanded a list of every citizen detained during the new administration.
    — Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2025
  • At special hearings organized by Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas and her former colleague Cindy Chavez, Kraft and dozens of colleagues demanded reforms and a rebalancing of a system that left too many children in dangerous homes.
    — Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of demand
Verb
  • More than half a dozen tornadoes have been confirmed, including one in Marshall County, Oklahoma, that left two homes completely destroyed and damaged about 20 others.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The war has destroyed vast parts of Gaza and most of its food production capabilities.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • There needs to be a continuation of the Behavioral Threat Assessment process to include colleges and Universities.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Boone was asked if Chisholm needs to find a better way to control his emotions.
    — Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of need
Noun
  • Often these programs come from good intentions — like the idea that everyone has a right to universal primary healthcare — but in reality they aren’t easily implemented and require a continued negotiation with, and reliance on, foreign aid, foreign donors and NGOs.
    — The Dial, The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Within about half the gulf, the U.S. has sovereign rights for exploring, managing natural resources and jurisdiction, as international law allows, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
    — Mark Strassmann, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of right
Noun
  • Trump’s 53% ownership stake in the company, now in a trust controlled by his oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., rose by $415 million on the day.
    — Time, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
  • By December 2023, the private equity firm had taken a majority stake in the British business and set an ambitious expansion plan; targeting 350 outlets by 2031.
    — Kevin Rozario, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of stake
Noun
  • This assertion is now bearing out, to some degree, much to the anti-vaccine community's chagrin.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Big Story Congress pushes back as Trump snubs Signal chat The White House’s assertion that the case surrounding national security officials’ use of Signal is closed is getting pushback in Congress, even among some Republicans who say their own probes will press on.
    — Julia Shapero, The Hill, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of assertion
Noun
  • The Treasury Department didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment regarding Hernandez's arrest.
    — Megan Forrester, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of request

Browse Nearby Words

clads
claim
claimant
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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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