bereft

American  

[bih-reft] / bɪˈrɛft /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of bereave.

---

adjective

1. deprived.

   They are bereft of their senses. He is bereft of all happiness.

bereft British  

/ bɪˈrɛft /

adjective

1. (usually foll by of) deprived; parted (from)

   bereft of hope

---

Etymology

Origin of bereft

First recorded in 1525–35; be- + reft

Explanation

So, they took the thing you most loved, and you're never going to get it back. You've gone beyond just plain grief-stricken — you're bereft. The way in which bereft differs just from plain mournful or grief-stricken is in its sense of deprivation or lack. It can be used that way too, for example when you're bereft of words. It's the past tense of bereave, following the same pattern as leave and left. When you see your bereft relatives at a funeral, it's very sad, but if your friend says that their cookie is bereft of chocolate chips, you know they are using exaggerated language to be a little funny.

Example Sentences

Bereft of social security or any protection, these women are in a constant battle with poverty, precariousness and wayward spouses.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2024

Bereft and looking for economic opportunity, she gathered her children — Edwin, 9, Claudia, 6, and Kevin, 2 — and headed north with her beloved teenage brother.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 31, 2023

Bereft of its symbol of continuity and resilience, Britain begins its new era in grave economic crisis, marked by ructions with Europe and a populace disaffected by years of political strife and scandal.

From Reuters • Sep. 9, 2022

Bereft of the leaves that feel the force of the wind in summer, tree branches seemed to respond to it Saturday with constant nodding.

From Washington Post • Feb. 19, 2022

Bereft of players and properties, it bore no resemblance to a castle in Denmark.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood