bereft

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /bəˈɹɛft/ See IPA manual

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

Simplified etymology

Bereft is an old form belonging to the same Germanic family as bereaved, reave, and rob. The shared underlying idea is being deprived or robbed of something precious.

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

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# bereft

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**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
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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