deprive
B2formal
Definition
Meaning
to take something important or necessary away from someone
To prevent someone from having or using something; to strip of possessions, rights, or privileges.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word inherently implies a negative action resulting in a loss or lack. It often involves an agent causing the deprivation and a patient experiencing it. The thing taken is usually something considered essential or valuable.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Spelling is consistent. Potential slight frequency difference in legal contexts ('deprived of liberty' is common in UK legal jargon).
Connotations
Equally strong and formal in both variants.
Frequency
Slightly more common in written, formal, and legal registers than in casual conversation in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[SOMEONE/SOMETHING] deprive [SOMEONE] of [SOMETHING]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “deprived of one's senses”
- “sleep-deprived (adj.)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The sanctions could deprive the company of vital raw materials.'
Academic
'The study aimed to understand the cognitive effects of being deprived of social interaction in early childhood.'
Everyday
'Don't deprive yourself of dessert; you've worked hard all week.'
Technical
(Legal) 'The court ruled that the new law would deprive citizens of their constitutional rights.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council cannot deprive residents of their right to protest.
- Poor weather deprived the team of a well-deserved victory.
American English
- The judge ruled the law would deprive citizens of due process.
- She refused to deprive herself of coffee, even while dieting.
adjective
British English
- The children came from a deprived background.
- He gave money to deprived inner-city areas.
American English
- The program is designed to help economically deprived communities.
- They studied the effects on sensory-deprived animals.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The storm deprived the village of electricity.
- Parents should not deprive children of play.
- If you deprive yourself of sleep, you will not work well.
- The new law could deprive many people of their jobs.
- The authoritarian regime sought to deprive the population of any independent sources of information.
- Growing up in a culturally deprived environment can limit one's perspectives.
- The court's interpretation risked depriving the statute of its intended efficacy, rendering it virtually meaningless.
- Philosophers have long debated whether it is just to deprive an individual of liberty for the greater social good.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE-PRIVE. DE- (meaning 'away' or 'down') + PRIVE (like 'private' or 'privilege'). To take away a private privilege.
Conceptual Metaphor
POSSESSIONS ARE FLUIDS (deprived of nourishment), RIGHTS ARE OBJECTS (deprived of rights).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'лишить' in all contexts; 'deprive' is more formal and specific. 'Лишить жизни' is 'to take a life', not 'deprive of life'. 'Deprive' requires the structure 'deprive OF something'.
Common Mistakes
- Omitting 'of' (Incorrect: 'They deprived him food.' Correct: 'They deprived him of food.'). Confusing with 'derive' (to obtain).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'deprive' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the action of depriving is inherently negative from the perspective of the person or thing losing something. However, the context might justify it (e.g., 'depriving a suspect of weapons').
Yes, commonly in contexts of voluntarily giving up something, often for a goal: 'She deprived herself of sweets to lose weight.'
'Deprive' implies taking away something already possessed or expected. 'Deny' is to refuse to grant or allow something requested or desired. 'He was denied a visa' (not granted). 'He was deprived of his passport' (taken away).
The preposition 'of'. The structure is always 'deprive [someone/something] of [something]'.