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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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
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Recent Examples of preternatural
As a team with a ton of continuity, the Aces have almost a preternatural sense for one another on the court.
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Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Game predictions Fowler, thanks to his preternatural understanding of this franchise’s flows and ebbs, somehow stayed perfect after the Panthers’ shutout win last week.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2025
Amid its farce, Ludlam’s play keeps an eye on the weight of a preternatural artistic gift.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Through a mixture of internet sleuthing, preternatural good taste and a willingness to do whatever is necessary, Matthew quickly elevates his way to becoming a creative and emotional sounding board for Oliver — even as the singer’s entourage increasingly looks at him as a phony.
—William Earl, Variety, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.—
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Johnson’s ability to rapidly guide the Bears here registers as extraordinary.—
Adjective
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Set in Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s, Stranger Things starts with a true-crime mystery that quickly turns supernatural.—
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An epic with supernatural and epigenetic overtones, this debut novel looks like a feast of a story.—
Adjective
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The near-term threat is not superhuman machines but the decline of thinking, feeling, and social humans.—
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McHale stars as Frank Shaw, an overqualified, over-opinionated Animal Control officer who has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals.—
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Andy Baker-White, the senior director of state health policy for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the bipartisan support for bills targeting food dyes and ultraprocessed food struck him as unusual.—
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But David did put in place an unusual corporate reporting structure in which Weiss reports directly to him, rather than through the head of CBS — an arrangement that has imbued every decision Weiss has made with speculation about whether David might be influencing her choices.—
Adjective
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As the only historic hotel along the Texas Gulf Coast, Grand Galvez leans into its lore with regular tours recounting paranormal activities.—
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He’ll next be seen starring alongside Sonja O’Hara in the forthcoming paranormal crime thriller Stakeout, directed and written by Micah Khan (The Zombie Wedding), based on the short film.—
Adjective
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Some of Lilo’s predictions have gone viral for their uncanny accuracy.—
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There’s something uncanny about this still and stunning portrait of a twenty-one-year-old Taylor Swift, shot by Katy Grannan for Lizzie Widdicombe’s Profile of the singer, in 2011.—
Adjective
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Until ecosystems adapt, many exceptional leaders will continue to build extraordinary value for others but struggle to do the same for themselves, not due to lack of capability, but because the system hasn’t caught up to their needs.—
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Your visit will give you a firsthand look at the vibrant Town Center and the award-winning neighborhoods and exceptional lifestyle amenities.—
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The study, published in the journal Biomolecules, found that participants who practiced transcendental meditation had lower expression of the genes associated with inflammation and aging.—
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Also worth exploring, though, is the storied, surreal Hokuriku region, a transcendental fantasy away from Japan’s congested tourist epicenters.—
Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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