claim 1 of 2

Definition of claimnext
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claim

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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 campus is densely forested, and the anchor of the complex is the Sonorium, which Kottikollon claims is the world’s largest sound-healing dome. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026 Russian authorities had previously claimed Navalny, 47, died of natural causes while serving several sentences totaling more than 30 years at a high-security prison above the Arctic Circle. Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
Here’s how to claim your lottery prize For Indiana Lottery prizes, the claim process varies depending on the prize amount. Chris Sims, IndyStar, 15 Feb. 2026 In Palm Beach County, Republicans sought to mobilize opposition to the devices in 2024, and citing unverified claims of potential election shenanigans, sought to convince people not to use them. Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
Verb
  • Also, the People of our Country are insisting on Citizenship, and No Mail-In Ballots, with exceptions for Military, Disability, Illness, or Travel.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Iran has insisted its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Multiple news outlets have reported receiving ransom notes, and the Guthrie family has expressed a willingness to pay — although it’s not known whether ransom notes demanding money with deadlines that have already passed were authentic.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Berthelot/Getty Images Minimalist sandals with thick straps, a firm structure, and a practical sole are ideal for those who love practical but demanding fashion.
    Alex Sales, Glamour, 14 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Shipwreck hunters have been searching the lakes with more urgency in recent years out of concerns that invasive quagga mussels are slowly destroying wrecks.
    Todd Richmond, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
  • However, archaeologists faced a significant challenge—how to penetrate its secrets without destroying it in the process?
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Over the past decade, member states of the European Union – of which the UK is not a member – have already doubled their defense expenditures, but more spending is needed, the defense chiefs argued.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Observers will need to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters placed in front of their lenses at all times.
    Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Raman previously worked at a women’s rights organization formed in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement before becoming a council member.
    Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Nevertheless, Pérez said, ICE has called on local law enforcement agencies to keep members of the public who have a right to monitor or document ICE activities from doing so.
    Linh Tat, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • In this case though, thousands of corporations, including Costco, have preemptively sued the US government in an effort to secure their stake in a refund without having to put their reputation on the line as Schwartz and Woldenberg have.
    Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026
  • There is just enough character in the comedy to create stakes in the narrative; its misfit energy has fueled the screen’s bands of outsiders throughout the years.
    Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The comments followed controversy over Stephen Colbert's assertions that CBS decided not to air its interview with Talarico because of the rule.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
  • Her assertion comes after Trump granted a pardon for her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion in 2022 and sentenced to 19 years in prison.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Neither the Pac-12 nor the Mountain West were interested enough to add Sac State, and the NCAA declined its request to join FBS without a conference invite.
    Jason Kirk, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
  • The district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
    Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

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