Meaning & use
preternatural
Last updated
Beyond what is normal or natural; seemingly supernatural.
See it in a sentence
The chess prodigy displayed a preternatural ability to see moves ahead.
A preternatural calm settled over the village before the storm.
A note on using this word
Distinct from "supernatural," "preternatural" traditionally describes things outside the ordinary course of nature but not necessarily divine.
Words with a similar meaning
uncannyextraordinary
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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