claim

verb

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\ ˈklām

claimed; claiming; claims

Definition of claim

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to ask for especially as a right claimed the inheritance The driver claimed the right to a hearing.

b : to call for : require this matter claims our attention

c : take sense 16b the accident claimed her life

2 : to take as the rightful owner claimed her baggage and left the airport

3a : to assert in the face of possible contradiction : maintain claimed that he'd been cheated is claimed to cause weight loss

b : to claim to have organization … which claims 11,000 … members — Rolling Stone

c : to assert to be rightfully one's own claimed responsibility for the attack

claim

noun

Definition of claim (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a demand for something due or believed to be due an insurance claim

2a : a right to something specifically : a title to a debt, privilege, or other thing in the possession of another The bank has a claim on their house.

b : an assertion open to challenge a claim of authenticity advertisers' extravagant claims

3 : something that is claimed especially : a tract of land staked out The prospector's claim was set at 90 yards to reduce the potential for conflict.

Other Words from claim Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about claim

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Synonyms & Antonyms for claim

Synonyms: Verb

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Verb

deny,
gainsay

Choose the Right Synonym for claim

Verb

demand, claim, require, exact mean to ask or call for something as due or as necessary. demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands. demanded payment of the debt 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 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 exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands. exacts absolute loyalty

Examples of claim in a Sentence

Verb He claims a connection to British royalty. The organization claims 10,000 members. The terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack. New Yorkers proudly claim the artist as one of their own. Both of them claimed credit for the idea. No one ever claimed authorship for the poem. You should claim compensation for the hours you worked. No heirs came forward to claim the inheritance. Noun She makes the claim that sea levels will actually go down. He made false claims about his past job experience. You'll need to file an insurance claim to pay for the damage. make a claim on your insurance policy All claims must be made in writing.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb There’s already pushback from business leaders who claim this will hurt U.S. competitiveness. — Washington Post, "5 key takeaways from Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan," 31 Mar. 2021 There’s already pushback from business leaders who claim this will hurt U.S. competitiveness. — Author: Heather Long, Anchorage Daily News, "5 key takeaways from Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan," 31 Mar. 2021 The same men who claim high respect for their mothers, sisters and friends somehow have little to no respect for mine by advancing these lyrics whether the man is a corporate worker in the music industry or an artist. — Gail Mitchell, Billboard, "Artist Xavier Omar Pens Open Letter to Erase Negative Lyrics About Black Women: 'Enough Is Enough'," 30 Mar. 2021 Are the Christians who still claim the identity but are no longer attending people who are on the way out? — The Salt Lake Tribune, "Jana Riess: The ‘nones’ are growing — and growing more diverse," 25 Mar. 2021 Children are to be quickly turned over to HHS, which oversees shelters where children will be held an average of one month while the government looks for adults based in the United States who can claim custody of the children. — Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner, "Border Democrat calls on Biden to return unaccompanied teenagers to Mexico," 24 Mar. 2021 Unfortunately, the production is already being met with backlash from Franklin's own family, who claim that the producers of Genius intentionally denied them the opportunity to consult on its storyline. — Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, "Here’s Why Aretha Franklin’s Family Has No “Respect” For The Docu-Drama About Her Life," 23 Mar. 2021 In women's college basketball, there are a group of schools who all basically claim a spot in the NCAA women's tournament each and every season. — Andrew Hammond, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan women's basketball takes down Tennessee, moves to the Sweet 16 for the first time," 23 Mar. 2021 Those who claim credit for good-looking statistics may be setting themselves up for a boatload of blame if the numbers turn ugly. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: No, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ record on COVID-19 isn’t a success," 19 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun But officials stood by their conclusion and denied his claim. — Ian James, The Arizona Republic, "Along the San Pedro River, a conservationist's dream of restoring habitat has dimmed," 3 Apr. 2021 Gaetz went on a full-court press when the allegations arose Tuesday, providing print and television interviews to confirm the investigation and promote his extortion claim. — Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY, "Rep. Matt Gaetz's media blitz publicized a federal investigation. Legal experts say that poses risks," 3 Apr. 2021 Her comments came after The Washington Post gave Biden four pinocchios for his claim about voting times. — Jack Durschlag, Fox News, "Biden's disputed Georgia voting claims defended -- despite fact check," 2 Apr. 2021 A few hours after Chase blazed a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash, Kyle Pitts staked his claim to being the first non-quarterback drafted. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Florida's Kyle Pitts, LSU's Ja'Marr Chase make case for Detroit Lions to consider at No. 7," 1 Apr. 2021 Wyze has become quite well known in recent years, and its claim to fame is the $26 Wyze Cam home security camera that has been purchased by millions upon millions of people. — Maren Estrada, BGR, "The company behind the $26 Wyze Cam now makes LED smart bulbs for $9.50 each," 30 Mar. 2021 Among his favorite talking points was his claim that more people died of the smallpox vaccine than of smallpox. — Washington Post, "‘Like throwing oil on a fire’: There’s nothing new about virulent anti-vaxxers.," 30 Mar. 2021 In some ways that shade is understandable and potentially correct even, as the Jazz have no real track record upon which to stake their own claim of legitimacy. — Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, "Gordon Monson: Nobody believes in the Jazz, so their mission is to shock the world and prove it wrong," 30 Mar. 2021 Though Nomura did not identify Archegos as the client at the center of the losses, the bank said its claim against the unnamed client was about $2 billion. — New York Times, "Banks Face Billions in Losses as a Bet on ViacomCBS and Other Stocks Goes Awry," 29 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'claim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

5 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/claim. Accessed 14 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for claim

claim

verb

English Language Learners Definition of claim

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to say that (something) is true when some people may say it is not true

: to say that you have (something)

: to say that (something) belongs to you or that you deserve (something)

claim

noun

English Language Learners Definition of claim (Entry 2 of 2)

: a statement saying that something happened a certain way or will happen a certain way : a statement saying that something is true when some people may say it is not true

: an official request for something (such as money) that is owed to you or that you believe is owed to you

: a right to have something

See the full definition for claim in the English Language Learners Dictionary

claim

verb

\ ˈklām

claimed; claiming

Kids Definition of claim

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to ask for as something that is a right or is deserved claim an inheritance Be sure to claim credit for your idea.

2 : to take as the rightful owner I claimed my luggage at the airport.

3 : to state as a fact : insist to be true “But our friend the Woggle-Bug claims to be highly educated …”— L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz

4 : to cause the end or death of The disease claimed many lives.

claim

noun

Kids Definition of claim (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a demand for something owed or believed to be owed an insurance claim

2 : a right to something He has a claim to the family fortune.

3 : something (as an area of land) claimed as someone's own a prospector's claim

4 : a statement that others may dispute Do you believe his outrageous claims?

claim

noun

Legal Definition of claim

1a : a demand for something (as money) due or believed to be due specifically : a demand for a benefit (as under the workers' compensation law) or contractual payment (as under an insurance policy)

b : a paper embodying such a demand filing a claim with the court

2 : a title to something (as a debt or privilege) in the possession of another assigned her claim to the proceeds

3a : a right to seek a judicial remedy arising from a wrong or injury suffered a plaintiff who has been injured in an accident has…one claim for a broken arm, another for a ruptured spleen, and so forth— J. H. Friedenthal et al. also : the formal assertion of such a right bringing a claim in the district court

b : cause of action sense 1 a plaintiff stating a claim for negligence — see also res judicata

Note: A cause of action may encompass more than one claim as the term is used in sense 3a. Claim is often used to mean cause of action, however, especially in modern federal practice.

c : a right to payment or to an equitable remedy as set forth in the Bankruptcy Code — see also proof of claim

4 : a formal assertion made by an applicant for a patent of the novelty and patentability of an invention with a description of the invention and its purpose