deprivation

noun

dep·​ri·​va·​tion ˌde-prə-ˈvā-shən 

also

ˌdē-ˌprī- 

1

: the state of being kept from possessing, enjoying, or using something : the state of being deprived : privation

especially : removal from an office, dignity, or benefice

2

: an act or instance of withholding or taking something away from someone or something : an act or instance of depriving : loss

overcoming the deprivations of their childhoods

the hazards of oxygen deprivation

sleep deprivation

Synonyms of deprivation

• lack
• loss
• privation
• denial

Examples of deprivation in a Sentence

She is studying the effects of sleep deprivation.

She eventually overcame the deprivations of her childhood.

Recent Examples on the Web

The greater world might be rocketing ahead into the space age, the Beatles and miniskirts, but 17 years after World War II, Miller’s characters in this little village are still haunted by the horrors and deprivations of that conflict. —Literary Hub, 13 Nov. 2025

Advertisement The role of sleep, stress, and hormones Sleep deprivation, chronic stress, and hormonal fluctuations can all amplify caffeine’s effects. —Lauryn Higgins, Time, 11 Nov. 2025

Not only that, but sleep deprivation—usually defined as regularly getting fewer than seven hours a night for most adults—can impact hormones involved in glucose metabolism, Licalzi explains. —Beth Krietsch, SELF, 11 Nov. 2025

Today, hunger is driven less by scarcity than by barriers to accessing food in a world where abundance coexists with staggering deprivation. —Arif Husain, Foreign Affairs, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see deprive

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deprivation

• androgen deprivation therapy
• self-deprivation

Rhymes for deprivation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Medical Definition

deprivation

noun

de·​pri·​va·​tion ˌdep-rə-ˈvā-shən  ˌdē-ˌprī- 

: the act or process of removing or the condition resulting from removal of something normally present and usually essential for mental or physical well-being

his nervous system may have been affected by early oxygen deprivation

—Jack Fincher

sleep deprivation