1
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary
an editor with a preternatural sense of what will interest the book-buying public
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in supernatural
of, relating to, or being part of a reality beyond the observable physical universe
an investigator of preternatural phenomena
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in superhuman
being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature
a preternatural ability to predict how the stock market will perform
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preternatural
Terence Davies’s first three shorts are among the most accomplished debuts in film history, profoundly personal in theme and with a preternatural grasp of cinematic grammar.
—
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2025
Already evident is a preternatural calmness on the ball, a characteristic of Ajax academy defenders, and allied with his passing range and physical traits, Hato looks like one of the most talented young centre-backs in Europe.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 July 2025
That his tantalizing talent was matched by a preternatural aptitude.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
Corbin sang tearfully, with a preternatural elegance and sophistication.
—Eamon Whalen, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2025
Already evident is a preternatural calmness on the ball, a characteristic of Ajax academy defenders, and allied with his passing range and physical traits, Hato looks like one of the most talented young centre-backs in Europe.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 28 July 2025
That his tantalizing talent was matched by a preternatural aptitude.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
Corbin sang tearfully, with a preternatural elegance and sophistication.
—Eamon Whalen, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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Occasionally, the texts mention our extraordinary political moment.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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This extraordinary collection of two volumes of poems and a third of prose shows the empathy, intuition, and exquisite use of the natural world that make Oliver the heiress of Emerson and Thoreau.—
AudioFile Magazine
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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And then there is the influx of grief horror, stories that take all of the complicated and difficult-to-reconcile emotions of grief and use supernatural horror to enhance the terror.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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Dagda is the chief of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a pantheon of supernatural beings.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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What went into choreographing a fight between two superhuman combatants?—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
23 Sep. 2025
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His powers included manipulating fire, engulfing his body in flames, superhuman strength and flying.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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News about the meeting broke Thursday, and no reason was initially provided for the unusual gathering.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
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Something tat the grand jury already decided on one count, which is very, very un -- very, very unusual for a grand jury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The two paranormal investigators founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in the '50s and worked on over 10,000 cases together, writing several books about their findings and experiences.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
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That kind of history and devastation can be fertile ground for paranormal investigations.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The 1960 movie — powered by Bernard Herrmann's chilling score, Anthony Perkins' unnerving portrayal of hotel manager Norman Bates (for the movie, much younger than the character in Bloch's novel) and Hitchcock's uncanny showmanship — revolutionized the horror genre.—
JR Radcliffe,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Since signing to Matador, the band has sharpened its sound into a quirky, exhilarated alt-pop, too uncanny to be dance-punk and too lively to be slacker rock.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Rivian produces adventure-ready electric vehicles with high power outputs and exceptional ground clearance.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
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This dual-purpose design requires exceptional stiffness, vibration control, and precision engineering, allowing heavy highway loads and high-speed rail traffic to share the same structure safely.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Dani Shapiro’s Signal Fires is a meditation on human connectedness that feels transcendental.—
Anna Bruno
September 19,
Literary Hub,
19 Sep. 2025
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Recently, the director picked up transcendental meditation — a famous practice of the late David Lynch — from her friend, Vera Drew.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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