bereave
C2Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
To deprive someone of a loved one through death.
To deprive someone of something valuable, important, or cherished, often causing a deep sense of loss.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used in the passive voice ('bereaved') or as a past participle ('bereaved of'). The related adjective is 'bereaved' (describing the person who has suffered the loss) and the noun is 'bereavement' (the state or fact of being bereaved).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is equally formal and literary in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly associated with grief, mourning, and profound loss. Carries a solemn, weighty tone.
Frequency
Low frequency in everyday speech in both regions. More common in written contexts such as literature, news reports on tragedies, obituaries, and formal condolences.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[bereave] + [object] + of + [valued thing/person][be bereaved] + of + [valued thing/person]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bereaved of one's senses (archaic/literary: acting irrationally)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Potentially in metaphorical use, e.g., 'The market crash bereaved investors of their savings.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, sociology (studies on grief), psychology, and history.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Used in formal announcements or when discussing death with sensitivity.
Technical
Used in legal contexts (e.g., 'the bereaved spouse'), counselling, and palliative care literature.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The accident bereaved her of her only son.
- War has bereaved countless families of their fathers and brothers.
American English
- The illness bereaved him of his wife last fall.
- They were utterly bereaved of hope after the failed expedition.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She was bereaved when her grandfather died.
- The community was bereaved by the sudden loss of its founder.
- He felt bereaved of all his ambitions after the accident.
- The novel's protagonist is a man bereaved of his fortune, his status, and finally his family.
- Policies should consider the needs of those recently bereaved.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'BE + LEAVE' but with an 'R' for 'Removal'. When someone is BEreaved, a loved one has been permanently RE-moved, causing them to BE LEFT behind.
Conceptual Metaphor
LOSS IS BEING ROBBED / LOSS IS A FORCIBLE REMOVAL.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'обобрать' (to rob in a criminal sense). The Russian 'лишать' is closer, but 'bereave' is specific to profound, often tragic loss, especially of people. 'Потерять близкого человека' is the common phrase, not a direct verb equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in an active voice for common situations (e.g., 'The storm bereaved the electricity' is unnatural). Confusing 'bereaved' (adjective) with 'bereft' (adjective, meaning deprived and often desolate).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'bereave' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Bereaved' specifically refers to being deprived by death. 'Bereft' is broader, meaning deprived or lacking *any* valued thing (e.g., bereft of ideas, bereft of joy) and often implies a resulting desolation.
Yes, but it is rare and formal/literary (e.g., 'Death bereft her of a husband'). The passive construction ('She was bereft of her husband') is far more common.
No. 'Bereavement' is the objective fact or state of having lost someone to death. 'Grief' is the subjective emotional response to that loss.
The adjective 'bereaved' and the noun 'bereavement' are used more frequently than the base verb 'bereave' in modern English.
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