Definition of claimnext
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claim

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
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
The winners each claimed their prizes from scratch-off tickets, the Maryland Lottery said in a statement. — CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 Trump lashed out at Pirro over the admission and has continued to claim vandals were to blame. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Noun
In a High Court judgment, the star’s claim for an injunction was denied, but a temporary order preventing the man (known as PPT in court proceedings) from being named remains in place pending an appeal. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2026 The company also says that data only leaves the glasses with your explicit consent, though its wider privacy and security claims haven’t yet been independently verified. — New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
Verb
  • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined around 20 other countries and the European Commission in a declaration insisting that AI remain under human control.
    — Stephen Pitt-Walker, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • While the case settled, Fairey had insisted his artistic transformation of an Associated Press photograph constituted fair use.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Activists called for an evening rally outside Congress to demand Peña's impeachment and an investigation into the bank's collapse, while an association of pensioners planned a protest outside Peña's official residence.
    — EMILIO SANABRIA, Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026
  • As debt issuance volumes swell, investors may demand higher yields, forcing corporations to offer elevated interest rates to attract buyers for new bonds.
    — , CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Chemically destroying the channel in adult mouse osteocytes accelerated signs of aging far beyond the skeleton, affecting the brain, liver, and muscles.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The light generates highly reactive chlorine radicals that activate carbon atoms along the polymer chains without destroying them.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • This means the One-All bypasses complex, costly safety barriers like airbags and crash-testing certifications that are needed for passenger cars.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Kotlikoff said the university needed to determine whether fraternities could operate safely and left open the possibility of sweeping restrictions on Greek life.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Research on whether current or future AI systems could develop consciousness may further bolster the nascent AI rights movement.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
  • In the string of cases, Elias Law Group represented various voting rights groups and nonprofit organizations, rather than the states themselves, though the firm’s intervention strategy has helped the legal opposition.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Peña, who until last year held a stake in a company linked to Ueno, expressed contrition.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026
  • As one of his first initiatives in office, Wallace is mounting a multinational peace summit, which is exactly the kind of high-stakes event Helen was installed to keep an eye on.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Here, the architecture distributes the congregation into a half circle, gathering them around the matter of their faith as a question rather than as an assertion.
    — Kristian Vistrup Madsen, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Reporting by Drilled and ProPublica did not contradict that assertion.
    — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Kids' menus and spa treatments cater to younger guests, while babysitting can be arranged on request.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Trump officials rejected the request, saying approval was urgent.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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