claim
Americanverb (used with object)
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claims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
claimed,
past participle, past
-
claiming
present participle
-
to demand by or as by virtue of a right; demand as a right or as due.
to claim an estate by inheritance.
-
to assert and demand the recognition of (a right, title, possession, etc.); assert one's right to.
to claim payment for services.
-
to assert or maintain as a fact.
She claimed that he was telling the truth.
-
to require as due or fitting.
to claim respect.
verb (used without object)
-
claims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
claimed,
past participle, past
-
claiming
present participle
noun
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claims
plural
-
a demand for something as due; an assertion of a right or an alleged right.
He made unreasonable claims on the doctor's time.
- Synonyms:
- call, requisition, request
-
an assertion of something as a fact.
He made no claims to originality.
-
a right to claim or demand; a just title to something.
His claim to the heavyweight title is disputed.
-
something that is claimed, especially a piece of public land for which formal request is made for mining or other purposes.
-
a request or demand for payment in accordance with an insurance policy, a workers' compensation law, etc..
We filed a claim for compensation from the company.
idioms
verb
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to demand as being due or as one's property; assert one's title or right to
he claimed the record
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(takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to assert as a fact; maintain against denial
he claimed to be telling the truth
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to call for or need; deserve
this problem claims our attention
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to take
the accident claimed four lives
noun
-
an assertion of a right; a demand for something as due
-
an assertion of something as true, real, or factual
he made claims for his innocence
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a right or just title to something; basis for demand
a claim to fame
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to assert one's possession of or right to
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anything that is claimed, esp in a formal or legal manner, such as a piece of land staked out by a miner
-
law a document under seal, issued in the name of the Crown or a court, commanding the person to whom it is addressed to do or refrain from doing some specified act former name writ 1
-
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a demand for payment in connection with an insurance policy, etc
-
the sum of money demanded
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Usage
What does claim mean? To claim something is to maintain that the something is a fact, as in The company claims its product cures hiccups. A claim is the assertion of a fact, as in The claim that Shayna has a beautiful voice was proved when she began to sing. To claim is also to demand one’s right to something, such as to claim payment for a service given. As a noun, this claim can be the demand for that something, such as a claim on your time. Example: My ancestors laid claim to this land decades ago and I don't plan on letting it go any time soon.
Synonym Usage
See demand.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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claimernoun
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superclaimnoun
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misclaimverb (used with object)
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overclaimverb (used with object)
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preclaimverb (used with object)
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claimableadjective
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claimlessadjective
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nonclaimableadjective
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unclaimedadjective
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unclaimingadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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claimsimple
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claimssimple
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have claimedperfect
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has claimedperfect
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am claimingprogressive
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are claimingprogressive
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is claimingprogressive
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have been claimingperfect progressive
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has been claimingperfect progressive
Past
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claimedsimple
-
had claimedperfect
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was claimingprogressive
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were claimingprogressive
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had been claimingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of claim
First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English claimen, from Anglo-French, Old French claimer, from Latin clāmāre “to cry out”; (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French cla(i)me; the noun is derivative of the verb
Explanation
When you express your right to something, you're making a claim to it, like telling your sister, "This bowl of cereal is mine." A claim is when you express your right to something that belongs to you, like your medical records or the deed to your home. When you make a claim or claim something, you're demanding it or saying it’s true. People claim dependents and deductions on their taxes. In court, you could claim you deserve money from an employer who cheated you. You could claim you can juggle chainsaws. With any kind of claim, you're going to have to prove it.
Vocabulary lists containing claim
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 1
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Argumentative Writing
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some retirees claim retirement benefits sooner — as early as 62 — but doing so results in a permanent reduction to their monthly payments.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
The Taliban authorities claim to have destroyed more than 22,000 hectares.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
This was the Acton team trying to revive the old claim.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Any decision to appoint Howe would trigger a multi-million-pound compensation claim from his former club Newcastle, while Nagelsmann is a free agent.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
I have plenty of time to hydrate, claim a good spot near the starting line, and get in the zone.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The watchdog will consider why the Met did not share the contents of the letter with other law enforcement agencies, in the UK or overseas, it contained claims of alleged offences.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
U.S. initial jobless claims fell to 194,000 in the week through Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Read: Medicare is using AI to approve claims.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
The letter, written by Markle's first wife Roslyn Loveless, is believed to have contained claims about Meghan's father.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Its essence lies in the principle of symmetry: the same sorts of explanation must, according to this principle, be given for all types of knowledge claims, whether they are successful or not.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Chief executive Andy Jassey claimed the business was spending in part because it had the chance at, not one, but two businesses that could end up bringing in $1 trillion for Amazon the future.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
However, Newton’s property management company claimed in court documents that Jackson ceased paying rent on the dwelling and owed 11 months in back rent by the time the case was heard in court.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
Saudi authorities haven’t confirmed the claimed strike or any damage to the facility.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Rios first claimed that Peltola knew about the gimmick before trying to retract her comments.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
He claimed to be looking for real estate and a horse to buy.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
Earlier this week, Haiti handed four bodies over to special forces claiming they belonged to those of the missing servicemen, but Bukele said they did not match.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Doing that, however, could derail the retirement planning of millions of Americans, as it could affect those in or near their Social Security claiming years.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
“I think the greatest danger we have in this moment is being demoralized and being discouraged and not claiming our power — our vote is our power.”
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
Owens, 36, later dropped the suit after claiming she had a miscarriage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
On a single day, L’Illustration received more than five hundred letters claiming to have information about the theft.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
