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
Alcaraz’s preternatural ability to flip defense into offense meets Sinner’s ruthless, first-strike mastery.
—
The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 11 July 2025
That his tantalizing talent was matched by a preternatural aptitude.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
Corbin sang tearfully, with a preternatural elegance and sophistication.
—Eamon Whalen, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray was born in Hayward, but developed her sweet jump shot and preternatural feel for the game at basketball courts around The Town.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
The Athletic Tennis Staff, New York Times, 11 July 2025
That his tantalizing talent was matched by a preternatural aptitude.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2025
Corbin sang tearfully, with a preternatural elegance and sophistication.
—Eamon Whalen, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2025
Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray was born in Hayward, but developed her sweet jump shot and preternatural feel for the game at basketball courts around The Town.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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And until the two men fell out this spring, Trump granted Tesla CEO Elon Musk an extraordinary amount of power to dismantle the federal workforce.—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
14 Aug. 2025
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Shooting for the stars and achieving the extraordinary is nothing new for elite athletes who reach the pinnacle of any sport.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Critics from Rotten Tomatoes appreciate how Anvari keeps supernatural appearances to a minimum, leaving much to the imagination.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Nevermore Academy remains central to the series, serving as the eerie boarding school where Wednesday continues her supernatural education.—
Aya Al-Hakim,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile Kal-El, an alien from the planet Krypton who embraces a new identity on Earth as Superman, comes well-equipped with superhuman abilities.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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Who knows how cribbage culture might change if computers ever get superhuman cribbage abilities.—
Andrew Montequin,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Travelers are increasingly experimenting with unusual or risky foods, leading to health issues.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
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Preparation for the construction of an expressway connecting two towns in southwestern Poland has revealed the remains of an ancient and unusual settlement, officials said.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At some point, Donna and her roommate, Angie, purportedly noticed weird paranormal activity occurring around the apartment, which began to escalate.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
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The doll's origins date back to 1968, and serves as one of the most famous cases taken on by paranormal investigators and NESPR founders Ed and Lorraine Warren — the couple whose careers and case files have inspired The Conjuring franchise.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Young has lofted up passes in practice and McMillan has shown off his uncanny ability to pluck the ball out of the air.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Aug. 2025
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Until then, get to know the woman with an uncanny resemblance to Caitríona Balfe’s Claire and her fascinating entry into the Outlander universe.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The term describes someone over 80 with an exceptional memory — one at least as good as the memories of people who are 20 to 30 years younger.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Subsequent investigation indicates the problem was caused by an exceptional combination of circumstances in which the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) did not include the allergen on the packaging.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Recently, the director picked up transcendental meditation — a famous practice of the late David Lynch — from her friend, Vera Drew.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 Aug. 2025
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By the late 1970s, Gayden had embraced transcendental Indian and Native American spirituality and formed the funk and jazz jam band Skyboat.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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