English dictionary

claim Meaning & Definition

Q: What is the past tense of claim?

The past tense of claim is claimed. The present participle is claiming.

/kleɪm/

What Does Claim Mean?

Claim is a noun that means A demand of ownership made for something. It can also mean The thing claimed. As a verb, it means To demand ownership of. As a verb, it means To cause the loss of, usually by violent means.

Claim in Brief

Part of speech	noun, verb
Pronunciation	/kleɪm/
Synonyms	arrogate, call and take
Antonyms	render, waive and forgo
Plural	claims
Verb forms	claims, claiming, claimed

Claim Definition (Noun)

A demand of ownership made for something.
a claim of ownership
The thing claimed.
The right or ground of demanding.
You don't have any claim on my time, since I'm no longer your employee.
A new statement of something one believes to be the truth, usually when the statement has yet to be verified or without valid evidence provided.
The company's share price dropped amid claims of accounting fraud.
A demand of ownership for previously unowned land.
Miners had to stake their claims during the gold rush.
A legal demand for compensation or damages.

Claim as a Verb

To demand ownership of.
To state a new fact, typically without providing evidence to prove it is true.
To demand ownership or right to use for land.
To demand compensation or damages through the courts.
To be entitled to anything; to deduce a right or title; to have a claim.
To cause the loss of.
The attacks claimed the lives of five people.
To win as a prize in a sport or competition.
He claimed $100 after winning the top spot.
To proclaim.
To call or name.

Verb

To cause the loss of, usually by violent means.
A fire claimed two homes.

Synonyms of Claim

arrogate call take exact call for titlelay claim

Claim synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of Claim

render waive forgo forfeit give up disclaim throw overboard

Claim in a Sentence

a claim of ownership

a claim of victory

You don't have any claim on my time, since I'm no longer your employee.

The company's share price dropped amid claims of accounting fraud.

Miners had to stake their claims during the gold rush.

The attacks claimed the lives of five people.

A fire claimed two homes.

He claimed $100 after winning the top spot.

Word Forms & Grammar

claim (plural claims)

claim (third-person singular simple present claims, present participle claiming, simple past and past participle claimed)

Words That Rhyme With Claim

proclaim dame frame exclaim shame acclaim aflame flame same name defame game declaim lame nickname all the same grameone and the sametimeframe reclaim blame maimfair gameassumed namegiven name became fame surname disclaim inflame

Origin of Claim

Origin 1: From Middle English claimen, borrowed from Old French clamer (“to call, name, send for”), from Latin clāmō, clāmāre (“to call, cry out”), from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- (“to shout”), which is imitative.

Origin 2: See also Lithuanian kalba (“language”), Old English hlōwan (“to low, make a noise like a cow”), Old High German halan (“to call”), Ancient Greek καλέω (kaléō, “to call, convoke”), κλέδον (klédon, “report, fame”), κέλαδος (kélados, “noise”), Middle Irish cailech (“cock”), Latin calō (“to call out, announce solemnly”), Sanskrit उषःकल (uṣaḥkala, “cock”, literally “dawn-calling”). Cognate with Spanish llamar and clamar.

Questions People Ask About Claim

Is claim a noun or a verb?

Claim is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.

What is another word for claim?

Close synonyms of claim are arrogate, call and take. See the full list of claim synonyms and antonyms.

What is the opposite of claim?

The opposite of claim can be expressed with words like render, waive, forgo and forfeit.