: suffering the death of a loved one
bereaved families of the victims
plural bereaved
: someone who is suffering the death of a loved one : one who is bereaved
comfort the bereaved
Examples of bereaved in a Sentence
Adjective
the bereaved parents of the victims
the grief of the bereaved parents seemed to be without limit
Recent Examples on the Web
Matthew J. Friedman, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
The criticisms were contained in reports into the deaths of 48 migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Nepal, and centred on the lack of safety provisions made on construction sites, the failure to properly investigate accidents and the speed with which bereaved families are compensated.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022
The bereaved had reached out to Jones, who plans to help them find an attorney to settle the issue.
—Shelia Poole, ajc, 19 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bereaved
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Adjective
Emotions were high in the courtroom Throughout the trial, the one constant in the courtroom’s gallery was the presence of bereaved family members of Robb Elementary victims.
—Matthew J. Friedman, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
The criticisms were contained in reports into the deaths of 48 migrant workers from Bangladesh, India and Nepal, and centred on the lack of safety provisions made on construction sites, the failure to properly investigate accidents and the speed with which bereaved families are compensated.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
The bereaved can heal, suicide prevention experts say, but their pain is often underestimated.
—Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2022
The bereaved had reached out to Jones, who plans to help them find an attorney to settle the issue.
—Shelia Poole, ajc, 19 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for bereaved
Cite this Entry
“Bereaved.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bereaved. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bereaved
1 of 2 adjective
be·reaved
bi-ˈrēvd 
: suffering the death of a loved one
bereaved family members
bereaved
2 of 2 noun
plural bereaved
: a person who is bereaved
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