Showing results for "bereft"

• past participle of bereave.

bereft

American  

[bih-reft] / bɪˈrɛft /

verb

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

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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

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Etymology

Origin of bereft

First recorded in 1525–35; be- + reft

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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

See Examples For:

bereft

When Poppy Russell died shortly after birth, her parents were left bereft.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

Think twice before you post on a parents' group Feeling anxious, bereft or excluded is normal, but those feelings don't always require action.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

But warmer oceans are also often bereft of the high-energy prey these juvenile salmon need for rapid growth when they reach the saltwater.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

The Greeks had the advantage in force but the Persians could block their passage, harass them or leave them bereft of food.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Though Ser Ronnet was indeed off north somewhere with Jaime Lannister, Griffin’s Roost was not quite bereft of griffins.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

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