bereave
bereave Lexical Profile
bereave Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To deprive of a close relation or friend through their death (usually used in the passive voice).
"The sudden accident bereaved the community of one of its most dedicated teachers."
To divest or strip someone of an abstract quality, hope, or possession.
"The prolonged drought bereaved the farmers of their livelihood and optimism."
Word Nuance & Usage
The past tense and past participle have two distinct forms with different usages: 'bereaved' is typically used when referring to the loss of a loved one through death (e.g., 'the bereaved family'), whereas 'bereft' is used when referring to the loss of an abstract quality, hope, or possession (e.g., 'bereft of hope').
• Rhymes for bereave
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'berēafian', meaning 'to deprive of, take away by violence, or rob', formed from the intensifying prefix 'be-' and 'rēafian' ('to rob or plunder').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.