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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of preternatural
Stroud sees the field and throws receivers open with a preternatural anticipation.
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Michael Shapiro, Chron, 18 Sep. 2024
What marked them out as Olympians was their preternatural ability to find these pratfalls hilarious.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Bernanke’s preternatural calm may have helped overcome the opposition of some Fed board members and congressional overseers to significant quantitative easing.
—Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2015
There was a moment when Duplantis’s right arm was on the wrong side of the bar while the rest of him was over, and some preternatural sense—the lightest part of him—told him to move it.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preternatural 
Michael Shapiro, Chron, 18 Sep. 2024
What marked them out as Olympians was their preternatural ability to find these pratfalls hilarious.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
Bernanke’s preternatural calm may have helped overcome the opposition of some Fed board members and congressional overseers to significant quantitative easing.
—Adam S. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Dec. 2015
There was a moment when Duplantis’s right arm was on the wrong side of the bar while the rest of him was over, and some preternatural sense—the lightest part of him—told him to move it.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for preternatural
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preternatural
Adjective
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Surveillance footage captured fireballs hitting the ground with extraordinary speed.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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These extraordinary characterizations complicate love over mere pity.Armond White, National Review, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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However their reappearance is working against them by attracting other supernatural forces to their small Massachusetts town.Rachel Flynn, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
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The film tells the story of Ingrid, a crack assassin who uses supernatural abilities to get out of even the most seemingly hopeless situations.Jamie Lang, Variety, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The symptoms associated with people high on those synthetic drugs are nearly identical to symptoms of people said to be experiencing excited delirium — violence and aggression, paranoia, psychosis, superhuman strength, hyperthermia and even death.Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024
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More recent iterations have given him power replication, voice mimicry, size alteration, density control, and superhuman strength.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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While most incidents have come in New Jersey, other states, including Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York, have also reported unusual drone activity to law enforcement.Maya Homan, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
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But when physicians look at a pool of unusual test results, the chaotic sequencing pattern could flag whether something more serious may be going on and the mother could benefit from additional testing, Bianchi said.Jacqueline Howard, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The venue's beloved mechanical bull, country music memorabilia, Bobby Mackey's stage costumes, a 2004 Ford Thunderbird, items related to the venue's paranormal folklore and more were sold in a public auction over the summer.Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 12 Dec. 2024
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The county noted that the place was even visited by paranormal investigators from SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters.Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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An eighth-grader cross-legged on the floor of his parents’ bedroom, clicking the channel to IFC and finding the trio of uncanny coincidences that make up the film’s prologue.Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
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The video should appear at once utterly convincing, ensuring that the effect of the transition into the live stage scene that follows feels somehow uncanny.Ayad Akhtar, The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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So those things are most challenging to teach: getting off the ball, range, making exceptional plays, his pre-pitch timing.Fabian Ardaya, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024
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The hotel’s exceptional attention to detail in indigenous design and tailored service, along with its commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the local ecosystem, adds an enriching layer to your stay.Joe Niehaus, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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While few of us will be able to experience the transcendental taste of the Hibiki 40-year-old, one universal aspect of it is the artistry of the presentation.Mark Littler, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
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Finding that new way of working between music and film, or of film interacting with music can, when it’s done really, really well, almost be transcendental.Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Preternatural.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preternatural. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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