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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
That commitment wouldn’t be possible if the music didn’t have a preternatural force to speak to current anxieties.
—
Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile Fears and Coen Carr seem to have a near preternatural connection, the guard intuitively understanding when and where Carr would like an alley-oop feed at the rim.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
There’s a lyrics-and-melody power to the interplay of sharp observations and visuals that dive deep into archival material — a fitting dynamic for a film about someone with a preternatural gift for infectious tunes.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
In this case, Tracy McGonigle’s son was both a natural worker and a preternatural talent.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile Fears and Coen Carr seem to have a near preternatural connection, the guard intuitively understanding when and where Carr would like an alley-oop feed at the rim.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
There’s a lyrics-and-melody power to the interplay of sharp observations and visuals that dive deep into archival material — a fitting dynamic for a film about someone with a preternatural gift for infectious tunes.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
In this case, Tracy McGonigle’s son was both a natural worker and a preternatural talent.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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Nowhere is this truer than in Russia, a nation marked by a long history of political repression alongside extraordinary literary brilliance, a rare and uneasy combination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
In the dark tunnels of an active mine near Timmins, Ontario, something extraordinary is leaking out of the Earth.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Following its buzzy premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Focus Features acquired the $750,000 indie for $15 million, with critics and audiences praising its bold take on supernatural horror.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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As the entity begins hunting them down one by one, the film blends supernatural terror with the precarity, exploitation and invisibility of immigrant labor.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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France lost the final on penalties, but Mbappé scored a hat trick in a superhuman performance that cemented his legacy as a World Cup immortal.—
Aidan McLaughlin,
Vanity Fair,
12 May 2026
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Even a superhuman player would’ve been done years prior.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 3rd House of Communication, illuminating messages, conversations, errands, and daily decisions with unusual clarity.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
14 May 2026
-
The unusual move would allow the administration to bypass a public bidding process, relying on a deal for engineering services already underway at the White House.—
Sarah Blaskey,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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The family, unconvinced the death was accidental, enlists a paranormal investigator who uncovers something far more disturbing than a conventional crime.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
12 May 2026
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School groups and paranormal activity societies have also toured the space in the past, Fulmer said, with one group of Fort Osage students even using the mansion to film a video project.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gold has experience delving into uncanny oddness in the skies.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
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The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Usually by Terminus, whose exceptional frame and hairless white was itself a sideshow, added to the allure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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This rich tradition has been showcased in the plots and action sequences of countless films, including these eight exceptional, beloved classics.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
In Madonna and Stuart Price’s manifesto for the singer’s forthcoming record, CONFESSIONS II, the duo has tapped into the transcendental properties of dance music.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
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To the victim, a transcendental thief is still a thief.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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