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
In July, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin publicly claimed, again without evidence, that there may be more than 190,000 such voters on California rolls. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026 Apollo does not claim absolute independence because its broader business also operates in sponsorship sales and Media Rights. — Malana Vantyler, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Noun
Previously, customers who used Prime between 3 and 10 times in any 12-month period between June 23, 2019, and June 23, 2025 needed to file a claim on the official Amazon Prime settlement website before July 27, 2026. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026 But his attorney said Garces Perez entered the country on an asylum claim, where he was allowed into the country and issued a work permit. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
Verb
  • Rather than insisting that these whales continue with their life, which is a human decision, perhaps they should be allowed to die gracefully and respectfully on their own.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Cage solved my next problem by insisting that the way to discover new things is to overcome our dependence on our likes and dislikes, those supposed pillars of criticism.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Light builds devices around the idea that technology should demand less attention, with a lineup that includes the Light Phone III and the flip-phone-style Light Flip.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Throughout the war, Tehran has repeatedly demanded their closure, and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has turned the argument on Gulf leaders, saying the bases have made their countries targets without delivering the security Washington promised.
    — Becky Anderson, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Just this man, essentially destroying himself while his friend watched.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The European Union’s ban on destroying unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear began applying to large companies July 19.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Hafnia passes key tests The researchers needed more than electrical measurements to establish the material’s identity.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Guests who need accessible room setups or transportation are encouraged to arrange these in advance of their visit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • French President Emanuel Macron delivered a briefing to the candidates running to succeed him so disturbing that even the far-right National Rally’s leaders emerged denouncing Russian hybrid attacks.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Jury nullification is not a legal right so much as a practical power.
    — Monu Bedi, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The meeting came after the two countries announced an agreement last month to give the United States a stake in Venezuela's vast oil reserves.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Stanford professor Matt Abrahams and Zapier CEO Wade Foster discuss how leaders are using AI to synthesize information, structure ideas, prepare for difficult conversations, and rehearse for high-stakes moments.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to prohibit persecution.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
  • That result shocked many Germans who had believed their country had developed an immunity to nationalism and assertions of racial superiority after confronting the horrors of its Nazi past through education and laws to outlaw persecution.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The motif has since become one of the most recognizable features in British gunmaking, appearing on every bespoke gun unless a client requests otherwise.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • My appreciation to attractions officials, creative types, public relations folks and other experts who helped with facts, figures and fanciful requests.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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