claim
claim
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling:
/kleɪm/.
Syllable Breakdown:
kleɪm
/k/: voiceless velar stop
/l/: voiced lateral approximant
/eɪ/: diphthong (as in "day")
/m/: voiced bilabial nasal
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: claim
Plural Noun: claims
Verb (Base Form): claim
Verb (Third Person Singular Present): claims
Verb (Present Participle): claiming
Verb (Past Simple & Past Participle): claimed
Adjective: claimable (less common, but exists)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A formal assertion of a right or demand for something due.
Synonyms: assertion, declaration, demand, right, entitlement
Antonyms: denial, rejection, disavowal
A request or demand for something that is believed to be deserved, often money, especially from an insurance company or government.
Synonyms: application, appeal, petition, demand, request
Antonyms: forfeiture, abandonment, waiver
A piece of land staked out by a miner or prospector.
Synonyms: lot, plot, parcel, property, holding
Antonyms: (Context-dependent; no direct antonyms for this specific sense, but could be considered "unclaimed land")
Verb
To state or assert that something is true, often without providing proof.
Synonyms: assert, declare, allege, maintain, contend
Antonyms: deny, disclaim, refute, contradict, gainsay
To demand something as one's right or due.
Synonyms: demand, request, require, insist on, take possession of
Antonyms: relinquish, surrender, waive, forgo
To take or demand as a right or possession.
Synonyms: seize, acquire, obtain, secure, appropriate
Antonyms: release, give up, abandon, cede
Examples of Use
Books:
"His latest work is a powerful claim for the relevance of poetry in a digital age, arguing that its condensed language offers a unique antidote to information overload." (Fictitious example, but representative of book use)
"The detective's claim that the suspect had an airtight alibi was quickly disproven by new evidence." (Fictitious example, but representative of book use)
Newspapers:
"The company made a bold claim yesterday that its new electric vehicle could travel 600 miles on a single charge, a figure that is drawing scrutiny from industry experts." ( The Wall Street Journal)
"Local residents have filed a claim against the city, citing negligence in the maintenance of public infrastructure after a series of potholes damaged vehicles." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Many scientists claim that climate change is primarily driven by human activities, urging immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." (National Geographic Online)
"A recent online article made the unsubstantiated claim that a new superfood could cure all ailments, prompting health authorities to issue a warning." (Fictitious example, but representative of online publication use)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series (Drama): "In the season finale, the protagonist decided to claim her inheritance, despite the risks involved." (Fictitious example, but representative of TV drama use)
Film (Sci-Fi): "The explorers landed on the distant planet, ready to claim it for humanity, unaware of the indigenous life forms that already resided there." (Fictitious example, but representative of film use)
Video Game: "Players must navigate treacherous landscapes to claim rare artifacts and complete their quest." (Fictitious example, but representative of video game use)
Podcast (True Crime): "The defense attorney argued that the prosecution's entire case rested on a circumstantial claim with no direct evidence." (Fictitious example, but representative of podcast use)
General Public Discourse:
"My neighbor always makes the wildest claims about what he saw last night, but I never believe him."
"She was quick to claim responsibility for the project's success, even though it was a team effort."
"You can claim your prize at the information booth after the show."
"His claim to fame is that he once met a famous rock star."
10 Quotes Using Claim
"Love does not claim possession, but gives freedom." (Rabindranath Tagore)
"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road." (Stephen Hawking)
"There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded." (Mark Twain)
"Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance." (Khalil Gibran)
"Tolerance is giving to every other human being every right that you claim for yourself." (Robert Green Ingersoll)
"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit." (Robert Louis Stevenson)
"We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more." (Carl Jung)
"I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"Freedom is not something that one people can bestow on another as a gift. They claim it as their own and none can keep it from them." (Kwame Nkrumah)
"Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." (Frank Herbert)
Etymology
The word "claim" has a pretty straightforward and old history!
It comes from the Latin word "clamare," which meant "to cry out" or "to shout." Imagine someone loudly declaring something or demanding attention.
From "clamare," it moved into Old French as "clamer," carrying similar meanings like "to call," "to name," or "to demand by right."
English borrowed "claim" from Old French around the 13th century. Its very first uses (around 1303 as a verb and 1330 as a noun) were about demanding something as a right or by authority. So, it was still very much tied to that idea of a forceful declaration or assertion of what one believed was due.
Over time, the meaning expanded. While it still holds that core sense of demanding or asserting a right, it also came to mean simply "to state something as true" (even without proof) or to refer to a piece of land one asserts ownership over, particularly in mining. But at its heart, it always links back to that original idea of a declaration or demand.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Claim
Lay claim to: To assert ownership or a right over something.
Stake a claim: To assert a right to something, especially land or a position.
Claim to fame: The reason why someone or something is famous or notable.
False claim: A statement or assertion that is untrue.
Insurance claim: A formal request made to an insurance company for payment under the terms of a policy.
Press a claim: To pursue a legal or formal demand.
To claim victory: To declare oneself the winner of a contest or struggle.
Dispute a claim: To challenge the validity of an assertion or demand.
Claim responsibility: To acknowledge being the cause of something, often a negative event.
Claim jurisdiction: To assert authority over a particular area or matter.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of claim from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
