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

Although the study didn’t calculate the ratio globally, more than 6 million have died worldwide, undoubtedly leaving tens of millions bereaved.

From Science News

That’s roughly triple the death toll so far, leaving behind 116,900 parentally bereaved kids.

From Time

She will thee bereave of almost every joy, the fair-faced foster-child of Heimir.

From Project Gutenberg

To whom, think ye, is your life of such consequence, that they should seek to bereave ye of it?

From Project Gutenberg

And, dear sweetheart, be not afraid that you shall be left without a lover; that I shall bereave you!

From Project Gutenberg

But as a taste of blood will infuriate a hound, so her own laughter seemed to bereave Bianca of all restraint.

From Project Gutenberg

Fortuna opes auferre, non animum potest—Fortune may bereave us of wealth, but not of courage.

From Project Gutenberg

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.