bereaved
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bereaved
First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English bireved, late Old English birēafod (past participle); see bereave, -ed 2
Explanation
Bereaved is an adjective describing people in deep sorrow at the loss of a loved one. For some, being bereaved helps them leave the sadness or release themselves from it by experiencing it for awhile. From the Old English berēafian, meaning "deprive of," bereaved describes the loss you feel when someone you love dies. You are suddenly deprived of the person's presence, and missing and mourning leads to being bereaved. Losing a pet causes similar feelings, and you can be bereaved when a person goes away but is still alive. Loss and separation even in life are still reason to be bereaved over the absence. If someone leaves and you miss them deeply, you may be bereaved.
Vocabulary lists containing bereaved
Born a Crime
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Cry Me A River: Synonyms for "Sad"
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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.
Bush, who ran Legacy Independent Funeral Directors in Hull, was trusted by bereaved families but mistreated them on an "almost industrial scale", Paxton said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
“I think a bereaved parent’s greatest fear is that their child will be forgotten,” she said.
From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026
The Duke of Sussex has spoken to bereaved children about how he marks anniversaries related to his late mother and deals with grief.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
"Whenever I reflect upon the regret of all those who perished in the war and the grief of the bereaved families, my heart is filled with profound sorrow," Takaichi said in the address.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
As if no one knew what to do in the face of such tragedy except to make the heaviest, heartiest, most prosaic dish they could, to give the bereaved something solid to hold on to.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
