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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Recent Examples of preternatural
The most straightforward way to account for this preternatural smoothness is a period of inflation that provides time for the baby universe to reach a uniform temperature.
—
Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
Many of those featured in the series are cryptids, creatures whose existence is disputed and often possess preternatural — meaning extraordinary — abilities, such as the Himalayan yeti or Australia’s amphibious bunyip.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 15 Oct. 2025
As a team with a ton of continuity, the Aces have almost a preternatural sense for one another on the court.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Game predictions Fowler, thanks to his preternatural understanding of this franchise’s flows and ebbs, somehow stayed perfect after the Panthers’ shutout win last week.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2025
Many of those featured in the series are cryptids, creatures whose existence is disputed and often possess preternatural — meaning extraordinary — abilities, such as the Himalayan yeti or Australia’s amphibious bunyip.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, AZCentral.com, 15 Oct. 2025
As a team with a ton of continuity, the Aces have almost a preternatural sense for one another on the court.
—Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Game predictions Fowler, thanks to his preternatural understanding of this franchise’s flows and ebbs, somehow stayed perfect after the Panthers’ shutout win last week.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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Memory chipmakers have also seen extraordinary surges due to expectations for the AI buildout to boost demand for data storage.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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Private schools, particularly Catholic schools, have demonstrated extraordinary success — even in communities struggling with poverty.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In this supernatural thriller, you’re transported back to the 1980’s and 90’s of Charleston, South Carolina, where a book club turns into a neighborhood watch as a newcomer to the city might be a blood-sucking demon.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
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Plot details are vague other then it being described as a dark academia young adult novel with a supernatural edge that will leave readers breathless.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Larter plays multiple characters on the show, including Niki Sanders, a single mom who works as an online stripper to support her son and who develops superhuman strength.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
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In the essay, Amodei predicts that by about 2027, cluster sizes, or the interconnected computing resources grouped together to train or power AI, will allow for the running of millions of AI instances, each operating at superhuman speed.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That unusual role for a spy chief raised additional questions from Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees.—
DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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What was unusual, in Lublin’s view, was for Bessent to reveal his thoughts on monetary policy — normally the purview of the Federal Reserve — and his insistence that Trump has the right to interfere with the decision-making of the central bank.—
Fatima Hussein,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Original characters will return to fight new monsters and solve a paranormal mystery.—
Marina Johnson,
IndyStar,
3 Feb. 2026
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What begins as paranormal record-keeping gradually reveals a mythic tale centered on people who, fittingly, were mostly writers.—
Shannon Taggart,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And with several shots of the sneaker throughout the park, the resemblance between the two is uncanny.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Recently, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s uncanny ground-recovery move, revealing why the humanoid rises with contortions rather than standing upright.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Even when dining on the patio, the cuisine is exceptional, which comes as no surprise since Seabourn is a member of the famous culinary Chaîne des Rôtisseurs association.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
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The service is exceptional, and the food is delicious, especially the fluffy, build-your-own omelet.—
USA TODAY NETWORK,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Magician Doug Henning announces plans to build Veda Land, a theme park based on magic, mysticism and transcendental meditation, in Osceola County.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
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Lynch, a longtime practitioner of transcendental meditation, will also be honored with a group meditation scheduled on Jan. 20, his birthday.—
Charlie Vargas,
Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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