bereft

C2 Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /bəˈɹɛft/ See IPA manual

adj verb Freq #32457

Meanings

1

adj
Completely lacking something; deprived of it.

After the scandal, he was bereft of all his former friends.
2

adj
Deeply sad and lonely, especially after losing someone.

She felt utterly bereft in the months after her husband died.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · completely lacking... barren destitute devoid

2 adj · deeply sad and lonely,... bereaved

Word family

Derived forms bereftnessunbereft

Etymology

From Middle English bireft, v. Middle English bireven. Synchronically a form of bereaved; compare leave and left.

bireft Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings Word Formation & Derivatives

# bereft

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, verb
**IPA (US):** bəˈɹɛft
**Frequency rank:** 32457

## Meanings
1. Completely lacking something; deprived of it.
2. Deeply sad and lonely, especially after losing someone.

## Examples
- After the scandal, he was bereft of all his former friends.
- She felt utterly bereft in the months after her husband died.

## Derived Forms
- bereftness
- unbereft

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: bireft

## Etymology
From Middle English bireft, v. Middle English bireven. Synchronically a form of bereaved; compare leave and left.

## AI Etymology
Bereft is from Middle English bireft, v. Middle English bireven. Synchronically a form of bereaved; compare leave and left. Important recorded forms include bireft (Middle English). Current senses include completely lacking something; deprived of it and deeply sad and lonely, especially after losing someone. The wider family includes derived forms such as bereftness and unbereft.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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bereft

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