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
Plain tap water has a lower pH than alkaline water, which has led some to claim that drinking alkaline water can neutralize acidity in the body. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026 These influencers claim colostrum can decrease inflammation, improve gut health, decrease one’s risk of infections and promote healthier hair, skin and nails. Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Noun
The claim was that in one vote count update, one candidate received zero votes. Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026 The pub's owner, John Higginson, 71, backed up Hayworth's claim. Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
Verb
  • Over the years, Beckham doubled down on having no regrets over the sarong, insisting past fashion choices were entirely his own.
    Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • According to Kahn, the editorial was published with a disclaimer, added by ADA leadership, insisting that the ADA had nothing to do with developing or writing the article.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • Hilton has demanded Governor Newsom create an emergency corps to speed up ballot counting, a request Newsom's office dismissed.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 6 June 2026
  • For Kenny, finally becoming an uncle carried a quiet sense of disbelief as much as joy — a full-circle ending to a process that had demanded so much of both siblings in different ways.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Verb
  • In July 1936, anarchists set fire to the church’s crypt and broke into the architect’s workshop before destroying many of his plans and plaster models.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
  • The Russian president, who has never acknowledged that Ukraine is a legitimate country, or that Zelensky is its legitimate president, could continue to bomb Ukrainian cities, hoping to destroy the electrical grid and make the country unlivable.
    Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • But after struggling on the road before losing consecutive games at home against Las Vegas and Dallas amid a three-game losing streak, the Sparks needed something to go right.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026
  • Obviously, there are multiple things in this outing that need to be cleaned up.
    Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • As the Rams took the field for their last week of OTAs on Monday, the newest member of the organization walked out with his helmet in his left hand, pointing at new teammates with his right, his trademark white and black sweatband around his forehead.
    Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 9 June 2026
  • Rivera was a renowned Indigenous leader who spent years fighting for the rights of his community and was imprisoned by the government in September 2023.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • In a high-stakes decision that will shape California’s economy for years, air officials late Friday approved a sweeping overhaul of the state’s signature climate program, cap-and-invest.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
  • Programs like Breakthrough Therapy designation, Accelerated Approval, expanded access and the use of surrogate endpoints exist precisely because traditional timelines are not always appropriate when lives are at stake.
    Elise Esposito, Boston Herald, 29 May 2026
Noun
  • But court documents show that Levine’s assertion that the messages didn’t originate from his Facebook account was not accepted by his opponents in the civil lawsuit.
    Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
  • Though the administration's assertion about no longer pursuing the fund failed to convince some who were skeptical, a number of amendments to formally bar such payouts were defeated during a marathon session of votes in the Senate that stretched from Thursday morning into the early hours of Friday.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Affinity Gaming declined multiple requests from The Times to speak about Primm’s struggles.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
  • The judge, who is presiding at the trial in the 296th District Court in Collin County, denied a defense request for the jury to be permitted to consider criminally negligent homicide, but jurors were instructed to consider manslaughter, a reckless killing.
    Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.

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