noun
-
an act or instance of depriving
-
the state of being deprived
social deprivation
a cycle of deprivation and violence
Other Word Forms
- nondeprivation noun
- predeprivation noun
- self-deprivation noun
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.
But she said while most people took up the offer of vaccination, there was lower uptake within communities in areas of higher deprivation and in some ethnic minority communities.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Stories of civilian deprivation could also turn public opinion in the U.S. even further against the war.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
The findings, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, suggest that flexible school start times could be a practical way to reduce chronic sleep deprivation among teenagers.
From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026
Kirk declined and was convicted by a jury in February 2025 of one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
But just as the Blues, ragtime and jazz emerged among the poor, disconnected communities of the American South, there is a modern-day equivalent that was likewise born in areas of deprivation: hip-hop.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
