bereave

[ bih-reev ]

verb (used with object)

, be·reaved or be·reft, be·reav·ing.

1. to deprive and make desolate, especially by death (usually followed by of ):

   Illness bereaved them of their mother.

2. to deprive ruthlessly or by force (usually followed by of ):

   The war bereaved them of their home.

3. Obsolete. to take away by violence.

bereave

/ bɪˈriːv /

verb

1. usually foll by of to deprive (of) something or someone valued, esp through death
2. obsolete.
   to remove by force

Other Words From

• be·reavement noun
• be·reaver noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bereave¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English bereven, Old English berēafian; cognate with Dutch berooven, German berauben, Gothic biraubōn; equivalent to be- + reave ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of bereave¹

Old English bereafian ; see reave ¹

Example Sentences

The act's most controversial element, the offer of conditional immunity to suspects, was dropped following legal action by bereaved families.

From BBC

But while claiming he was shy, bereaved or recovering from a bad break-up, McDonald was taking money from them to pay for things that never materialised - from cut-price luxury items to house deposits.

From BBC

A charity, The Runnymede Trust, tweeted that "the legal system doesn’t deliver real justice for families bereaved by racist state violence".

From BBC

Groups representing bereaved families said they were horrified, adding it was “irrefutable evidence the NHS was overwhelmed”.

From BBC

An activist earlier told the crowd they were not just gathering "for the Kaba family" but for all "grieving" families who they said were "bereaved at the hands of the state".

From BBC

Related Words

• dispossess

More About Bereave

What does bereave mean?

To bereave means to take away and leave devastated. Death bereaves us of our loved ones.

Bereave can also mean to deprive by force, as in War has bereaved them of their homes. 

Those who are devastated by the loss of loved ones can be described as bereaved or bereft. These words can also apply to those who have suffered other serious losses.

Bereave is most often used in the context of death. The noun form of bereave is bereavement, referring to a period of mourning or or state of intense grief, especially following the death of a loved one. Bereavement can also be used more generally to mean the state of having lost something very dear.

Example: Violence has bereaved us of yet another young person.

Where does bereave come from?

The first records of the word bereave come from before 900. Bereave is related to the word reave, which means “to rob.”

Death bereaves us of loved ones—it robs us of them. Bereave is often used as a verb along with a subject that caused the death, such as an illness, a murder, or the person who committed it. Even when bereave is used more generally, it’s still often gravely serious. Things like war bereave people of their homes and livelihoods. A person going through bereavement is often referred to as the bereaved.

Bereave should not be confused with grieve. Grieve sounds similar but is based on a different root, the Latin word gravāre, meaning “to burden.” Those who are bereaved are often grieving (not bereaving).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of bereave?

• bereaved (past tense verb, adjective)
• bereavement (noun)
• bereaver (noun)

What are some synonyms for bereave?

• deprive

What are some words that share a root or word element with bereave? 

• bereft
• reave

What are some words that often get used in discussing bereave?

• death
• grief
• mourn
• loss
• funeral

How is bereave used in real life?

Bereave is most commonly used in the context of death. It is almost always used seriously.

And there have been quite a few grieving familes. Quite a few thousand. And they've kept lockdown in their grief, knowing that this virus that had bereaved them mustn't be allowed to infect and bereave more.

— Vivie Humphreys (@PerennialAnna) May 24, 2020

Are you supporting a bereaved child or young person? Sharing a book can be a great way of introducing difficult topics and helping a child to understand their feelings. Visit our website for guidance on books and resources that may help.https://t.co/u9iH00j6i4 pic.twitter.com/oKIuFuus7f

— Child Bereavement UK (@cbukhelp) May 30, 2020

“Maybe part of being an artist is not accepting society’s terms and conditions.” @nataschaandsons on a lifetime of turning down roles that objectify women and bereave them of agency. #TheFirstOnHulu. pic.twitter.com/U6EXBCZDO3

— Maria Popova (@brainpicker) September 14, 2018

 

 

Try using bereave!

Is bereave used correctly in the following sentence?

Cancer has bereaved me of two family members.