supernatural

[soo-per-nach-er-uhl, -nach-ruhl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or being above or beyond what is natural; unexplainable by natural law or phenomena; abnormal.

2. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or attributed to God or a deity.

3. of a superlative degree; preternatural.

   a missile of supernatural speed.

4. of, relating to, or attributed to ghosts, goblins, or other unearthly beings; eerie; occult.

noun

1. a being, place, object, occurrence, etc., considered as supernatural or of supernatural origin; that which is supernatural, or outside the natural order.

2. behavior supposedly caused by the intervention of supernatural beings.

3. direct influence or action of a deity on earthly affairs.

4. the supernatural,

   1. supernatural beings, behavior, and occurrences collectively.

   2. supernatural forces and the supernatural plane of existence.

      a deep fear of the supernatural.

supernatural

/ -ˈnætʃərəl, ˌsuːpəˈnætʃrəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to things that cannot be explained according to natural laws

2. characteristic of or caused by or as if by a god; miraculous

3. of, involving, or ascribed to occult beings

4. exceeding the ordinary; abnormal

noun

1. supernatural forces, occurrences, and beings collectively or their realm

Other Word Forms

• supernaturally adverb
• supernaturalness noun
• antisupernatural adjective
• semisupernatural adjective
• semisupernaturally adverb
• semisupernaturalness noun
• unsupernatural adjective
• unsupernaturally adverb
• unsupernaturalness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of supernatural¹

From the Medieval Latin word supernātūrālis, dating back to 1520–30. See super-, natural

Synonym Study

See miraculous.

Example Sentences

The supernatural drama gave Brown her breakthrough at the age of 12, and will conclude when season five is released at the end of 2025.

From BBC

That profound empathy is reflected in the series’ choice to feature an episode told entirely from Mignini’s point of view, revealing the source of his obsession with God and the supernatural, good and evil.

From Salon

The pressurized, supernatural stakes in such tight quarters sometimes encourage Christopher to push a little too vociferously.

From Los Angeles Times

In the opening moments, a shooter springs upon authorities surveying a crime scene with almost supernatural speed, catching not just the police but also the audience off guard.

From Los Angeles Times

Young adult comedies are best when the misery of high school is paired with other extreme types of terror — a plane crash, a supernatural mystery, vampires.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• celestial 
• fairy 
• ghostly 
• heavenly 
• metaphysical 
• miraculous 
• mythical 
• psychic 
• superhuman 
• uncanny