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bereave

[ bih-reev ]

verb (used with object)

bereaved or bereft, bereaving.
  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

/ ɪˈː /

verb

  1. usually foll by of to deprive (of) something or someone valued, esp through death
  2. obsolete.
    to remove by force
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other yvlog Forms

  • ·𲹱mԳ noun
  • ·𲹱İ noun
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of bereave1

First recorded before 900; Middle English bereven, Old English ŧھ; cognate with Dutch berooven, German berauben, Gothic ܲō; equivalent to be- + reave 1
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of bereave1

Old English bereafian ; see reave 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

One bereaved father told the BBC that his son was killed "in cold blood".

From

More than 36,000 people have signed up to one such petition, led by two sets of bereaved parents; while campaign group Maternity Safety Alliance is making a similar call.

From

Justice Minister Naomi Long said the aim is that Charlotte's Law will build upon the work of Helen's Law and help bereaved families in Northern Ireland.

From

The inquiry has heard from hundreds of witnesses, including current and former politicians, civil servants, government advisers, public health experts and representatives of bereaved families.

From

"I share everyone's frustration that this has taken too long - survivors, bereaved families and all those who have campaigned for truth and accountability deserve better," she said.

From

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More About Bereave

What does𲹱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 doesbereave 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 , meaning “to burden.” Those who are bereaved are often grieving (not bereaving).

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms of bereave?

What are some synonyms for bereave?

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

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

How isbereave used in real life?

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

Try usingbereave!

Is bereave used correctly in the following sentence?

Cancer has bereaved me of two family members.

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