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Synonyms

deprived

American  
[dih-prahyvd] / dɪˈpraɪvd /

adjective

  1. marked by deprivation; lacking the necessities of life, as adequate food and shelter.

    a deprived childhood.


deprived British  
/ dɪˈpraɪvd /

adjective

  1. lacking adequate food, shelter, education, etc

    deprived inner-city areas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of deprived

First recorded in 1545–55; deprive + -ed 2

Explanation

Being deprived means lacking important things like food and water. For example, when warm clothing, housing, and nutrition are in short supply, the people are deprived of basics of life. You can use the adjective deprived to describe conditions or people who don’t have what they need or don't have enough. Some uses of deprived are for small things, like when you're deprived of dessert because you didn’t eat your vegetables, but most of the time deprived describes a very serious lack of essential things or services.

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Vocabulary lists containing deprived

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Deprived of a primary herbivore, the reefs succumbed to algal overgrowth and never fully recovered.

From Science Magazine • May 28, 2024

Deprived of adequate food supplies, the bears must live off their fat reserves for several months.

From National Geographic • Feb. 13, 2024

In 1974, a year before Lebanon’s 15-year civil war broke out, al-Sadr founded the Movement of the Deprived, attracting thousands of followers.

From Washington Times • Jun. 3, 2023

Deprived of any independent vision of the world, she can imagine only three solutions.

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2023

"Deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle."

From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis