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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

  • self-deprived adjective
  • undeprived adjective

Etymology

Origin of deprived

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

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.

"If you were deprived of freedom for a generation, you probably want to be pretty excited to get it back," he told the BBC.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

I felt better — my stomach, my skin — and, more surprisingly, I didn’t feel deprived.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

The widow and two children of Santos Ramos have sued Risher Mortuary & Cremation Service, alleging that the Montebello-based funeral home botched Ramos’ embalming and deprived the family of a meaningful final farewell.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

King Louis XVI deprived his European rival of its colonial jewel but lost his kingdom and his head.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Yet, when he was deprived of it, and could hear the other children reciting and singing in the schoolhouse, he felt woefully lost.

From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry

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.