bereavement
noun
be·reave·ment
bi-ˈrēv-mənt 
bē-
Examples of bereavement in a Sentence
The following May, my wife and I flew to London for my father's funeral. Pam, determined to wrangle us an upgrade to business class on the strength of my bereavement, gave the British Airways ticketing clerk two passports and a sob story.
—
John Haney, Gourmet, January 2003
In the sections of her book that should prove an enduring contribution to the literature of grief, Ms. Gilbert recounts her free fall into widowhood, starting with that modern rite of bereavement, the erasing of the answering-machine message.
—James S. Kunen, New York Times Book Review, 19 Mar. 1995
In any case, sadness and loss of interest and drive during periods of bereavement are expected and normal. If Mozart had not been upset by his parents' deaths, his wife's illnesses, and his separations from her, he would be less than human.
—William A. Frosch, Musical Quarterly, 1990
a period of grief after bereavement
people who have recently suffered bereavements
John Haney, Gourmet, January 2003
In the sections of her book that should prove an enduring contribution to the literature of grief, Ms. Gilbert recounts her free fall into widowhood, starting with that modern rite of bereavement, the erasing of the answering-machine message.
—James S. Kunen, New York Times Book Review, 19 Mar. 1995
In any case, sadness and loss of interest and drive during periods of bereavement are expected and normal. If Mozart had not been upset by his parents' deaths, his wife's illnesses, and his separations from her, he would be less than human.
—William A. Frosch, Musical Quarterly, 1990
a period of grief after bereavement
people who have recently suffered bereavements
Recent Examples on the Web
When a company decides to delete a companion or change its personality, its human spouse may suffer grief and bereavement.
—Lori Andrews, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Princess Kate is patron of the organization working across England, Wales, and the Isle of Man to protect children and support adults, working with families that have experienced adversity, abuse and traumatic bereavement.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
When a company decides to delete a companion or change its personality, its human spouse may suffer grief and bereavement.
—Lori Andrews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Researchers and others have noted that experiences like job loss and career change share emotional patterns with grief and bereavement.
—Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bereavement
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Lori Andrews, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Princess Kate is patron of the organization working across England, Wales, and the Isle of Man to protect children and support adults, working with families that have experienced adversity, abuse and traumatic bereavement.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
When a company decides to delete a companion or change its personality, its human spouse may suffer grief and bereavement.
—Lori Andrews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2026
Researchers and others have noted that experiences like job loss and career change share emotional patterns with grief and bereavement.
—Kathy Caprino, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bereavement
Cite this Entry
“Bereavement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bereavement. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bereavement
noun
be·reave·ment
bi-ˈrēv-mənt
: the state or fact of being bereaved
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