claim

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /kleɪm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form claim

Third-person singular claims

Past tense claimed

Past participle claimed

Present participle claiming

1. (transitive & intransitive) If you claim something, you say or write that it is true without proof.
   • Synonym: assert

   It is easy to claim that a god exists, but impossible to prove.

   He claims to be at home when the shooting happened.

   He often falsely claimed to be the president of various businesses.

2. (transitive) If you claim something, you say or write that it belongs to you and often you take it.
   • Synonym: take

   Once you are over 65, there are a variety of government benefits that you can claim.

   Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack.

   Nobody has yet claimed the money that was lost last week.

   Passengers can claim their baggage at the bottom of the stairs.

   The incident in Kenya has claimed the world's attention.

3. (transitive) If something claims a life, it kills people.
   • Synonym: take

   The disease has claimed seven people in Taipei so far this month.

Related words

• unclaimed
• claimant

Noun

Singular claim

Plural claims

1. (countable) A claim is something that you say or write without proof.
   • Synonym: assertion

   It is difficult to believe claims that the world is ending.

   His claim to be the father is now being investigated.

2. (countable) If you have a claim to something, you have the right, to own or do it.

   The government is disputing their claim to the land.

   The group has made a claim against the owner worth $1 million.

3. (countable) A claim is something that you say you have the right to.

   They have begun looking for gold on their claim in Western Alberta.