claim 1 of 2

verb

ˈklām How to pronounce claim (audio)
Definition of claimnext
1
as in to insist
to state as a fact usually forcefully people who claim that they have been kidnapped by aliens from other worlds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to demand
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority after many years had passed, he suddenly appeared to claim his inheritance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to destroy
to deprive of life cancer claims hundreds of thousands of Americans each year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to need
to have as a requirement caring for her three small children claims virtually all of her time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

claim

2 of 2

noun

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

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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
as in assertion
a solemn and often public declaration of the truth or existence of something Galileo's claim that the moon has a very irregular surface and thus is not the perfect sphere that the ancients had imagined

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
However, Albanese’s decision to invite Herzog – the head of state of a country accused of genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel’s government denies – has angered many Australians and even led to calls for the visitor’s arrest. —Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026 The easiest way to verify the legitimacy of a message is to either contact Amazon Customer Service directly, or verify the details of the claim by logging into your account online or on the app. —Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for claim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for claim
  1. insist
  2. demand
  3. destroy
  4. need
  5. right
  6. stake
  7. assertion
  8. request
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
Definition of insist
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
Definition of demand
Verb
  • More than 12,000 scrolls were once stored inside this second-century center of learning before a fire destroyed them in 262 CE.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Feeling bored, resentful and trapped by domestic life, Hedda hatches a plan to destroy her husband’s potential career rival, Eilert Lovberg, who happens to be her ex-lover.
    — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • To run the program across the state, $22 million is needed annually; $16 million in state appropriations and $6 million in federal funding.
    — Raynee Howell, Oklahoma Watch, 9 Feb. 2026
  • As the Grammy-winner took the Super Bowl halftime stage on February 8, fans of football and fans of Bad Bunny alike needed to know if there will be anyone special cheering him on from the sidelines.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of need
Noun
  • What does the law require of people who wish to become citizens of the United States and gain the right to vote?
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Wiener is also pushing new legislation — called the No Kings Act — that would allow people in California to sue federal agents for violating their rights.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of right
Noun
  • FedEx and private equity investor Advent International will both each own 37 percent of shares in the company, with investment firms A&R and PPF holding 16 percent and 10 percent stakes, respectively.
    — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Providence took the place of two prior investors, RedBird Capital and Madrone Capital Partners, who took ownership stakes in sports teams — football club AC Milan and the NFL’s Denver Broncos — and as such couldn’t own a stake in a sports talent representation firm.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of stake
Noun
  • American officials have since tried to distance themselves from the movement, denying any interest in funding it, contrary to separatist assertions.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Past recounts and court challenges have not backed up those assertions.
    — David Wickert, AJC.com, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of assertion
Noun
  • The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Google, the maker of Nest cameras, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    — Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of request

Browse Nearby Words

clads
claim
claimant
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Cite this Entry

“Claim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/claim. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on claim

Nglish: Translation of claim for Spanish Speakers

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