noun
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an act or instance of depriving
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the state of being deprived
social deprivation
a cycle of deprivation and violence
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of deprivation
First recorded in 1525–35; from Medieval Latin dēprīvātiōn-, stem of dēprīvātiō, from dēprīvāt(us) “deprived” (past participle of dēprīvāre “to deprive”; see deprive) + -iō -ion
Explanation
A state of deprivation means something is missing, and the situation is serious. If you're suffering from sleep deprivation, you haven't slept in a long time. If you know the word deprive — meaning to keep something away from someone — then you’re close to knowing what deprivation means. It describes the state of not having something. Poor people experience a lot of deprivation: poverty keeps them from having enough food or shelter. Plants experiencing water deprivation will shrivel up and die. If you’re grounded your parents might impose video game deprivation, although this word is usually reserved for when you’re lacking something really serious.
Vocabulary lists containing deprivation
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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"Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry, Introduction and Afterword
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This Week in Words: May 28 - June 1, 2018
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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.
See Examples For:
The charge Evans sought, deprivation of rights under color of law, has been brought against police officers accused of excessive force and other misconduct that can carry significant prison time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
In the SynAIRgy trial, people who received AD109 experienced fewer interruptions in breathing, less oxygen deprivation, and better overall blood oxygen levels while they slept.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026
Add in the area's high levels of deprivation, and there is increasing pressure on public services amid a shrinking tax base.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
So now, players have access to infrared beds, sensory deprivation tanks and AI-led massage chairs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026
Psychiatrist Dr. Jay Shurley felt those tests were inadequate to test for true sensory deprivation.
From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson
Here, try it out with me: The prohibition on deprivations of “liberty” without “due process of law”? In the Constitution.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Such support can come with deprivations as well as gratifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
"When hazards overlap or strike repeatedly, they compound existing deprivations."
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2025
The news organisations noted that: "Journalists endure many deprivations and hardships in warzones. We are deeply alarmed that the threat of starvation is now one of them."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2025
Although I understand the deprivations our people suffer I must make it clear that the level of crime in the township is unhealthy and must be eliminated as a matter of urgency.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
