bereave

verb

be·​reave bi-ˈrēv 

bē-

bereaved or bereft bi-ˈreft 

bē-

; bereaving

transitive verb

1

: to deprive of something

—usually used with of

Madam, you have bereft me of all words …

—William Shakespeare

2

: to take away (a valued or necessary possession) especially by force

Synonyms

• abate
• deprive
• divest
• strip

Examples of bereave in a Sentence

news of a death in the family bereaved them of the unmitigated joy that normally prevails at a wedding

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bereven, from Old English berēafian, from be- + rēafian to rob — more at reave

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1