preternatural

adjective

ˌprē-tər-ˈna-chə-rəl How to pronounce preternatural (audio)
Definition of preternaturalnext
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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2
as in supernatural
of, relating to, or being part of a reality beyond the observable physical universe an investigator of preternatural phenomena

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of preternatural Though his language is that of the every day his preternatural instinct for rhythm fills his lines with a bursting musicality. — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 Excelling in amateur baseball’s highest levels the past six years seems to have created preternatural ease. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 1 July 2026 Marina, for her part, reacts to every new face and each fresh piece of information with an instinctive guardedness—and Garcia illuminates, with an almost sphinx-like half smile, the preternatural reserve of someone who’s grown up knowing not to expect too much from people. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 June 2026 Or suddenly have a preternatural understanding of the ins and outs of soccer. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
  1. extraordinary
  2. supernatural
  3. superhuman
  4. unusual
  5. paranormal
  6. uncanny
  7. exceptional
  8. transcendental
Adjective
  • One of the most extraordinary musical experiences of my life was recording with her.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Harald’s death was officially announced at an extraordinary Council of State meeting at Norway’s Royal Palace on Friday, as the full title of the new King was formally presented.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • Dark movie theaters, or creepy home basements, are the classic venues of choice for those who love supernatural scares.
    — Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But in between the jump scares and supernatural horrors is a story of motherhood and confronting the past.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of supernatural
Adjective
  • For some interpreters, the gods’ superhuman forms are a sign for Hindus to acknowledge the power of these supernatural beings.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The other problem is that hackers are exploiting AI to uncover new software vulnerabilities and infiltrate networks at a superhuman rate.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of superhuman
Adjective
  • While his batting order remains unchanged, the team has made an unusual move, relocating Guerrero's locker to a new spot.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Land exchanges are common elsewhere in the federal government, but exchanging National Park Service land for private development access is unusual, NOTUS reported, citing a former park service official.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • An entity behind the disturbance grows increasingly fixated on the family’s daughter, prompting two paranormal investigators to dig into what becomes a traumatic case.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Like any group with more than 50 members, there have been a few paranormal personality clashes.
    — Megan De Mar, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of paranormal
Adjective
  • These particles efficiently scatter the blue and green light while letting red and orange wavelengths pass through, creating the uncanny feeling of an all-day sunset.
    — Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The skyline floated like an uncanny but beautiful projection off to our side.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncanny
Adjective
  • Sharif said Noreen displayed exceptional courage and devotion to duty by risking her life to save the newborn moments before the nursery burned down.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Founders who recently had one exceptional year sometimes assume that year represents their new baseline, when a buyer will more likely average the last three years, or discount the outlier entirely.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • As many an influencer has learned, that identity bestows the transcendental rewards of unconditional love—and plenty of new branding opportunities.
    — Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
  • Stablecoins have become one of crypto’s most transcendental inventions.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of transcendental

Browse Nearby Words

pretermitting
preternatural
pretest
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Cite this Entry

“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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