deprived; depriving
1
: to take something away from
… deprived him of his professorship …—
J. M. Phalen
J. M. Phalenthe risk of injury when the brain is deprived of oxygen
2
: to withhold something from
deprived a citizen of their rights
3
: to remove from office
… the Archbishop … would be deprived and sent to the Tower …—Edith Sitwell
Edith Sitwell4
obsolete
: remove
'Tis honor to deprive dishonored life …—Shakespeare
ShakespeareExamples of deprive in a Sentence
working those long hours was depriving him of his sleep
a prince who had been deprived after those who opposed the monarchy came to power
Recent Examples on the Web
Russia has faced sanctions on its oil revenue in an international bid to deprive the country of revenue over its war in Ukraine.
—Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
The effect was a stranglehold on Russia’s exports, depriving Putin’s war effort of at least $500 billion, experts say.
—Gavin J. Quinton
march 10, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
By misclassifying these workers as independent contractors, says the complaint, Campbell’s deprives them of the bundle of rights employees enjoy, including minimum wage, overtime, expense reimbursement and sick pay.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
There is no need for Dems to cheat and deprive voters of their own choice.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deprive
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Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
The effect was a stranglehold on Russia’s exports, depriving Putin’s war effort of at least $500 billion, experts say.
—Gavin J. Quinton
march 10, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
By misclassifying these workers as independent contractors, says the complaint, Campbell’s deprives them of the bundle of rights employees enjoy, including minimum wage, overtime, expense reimbursement and sick pay.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
There is no need for Dems to cheat and deprive voters of their own choice.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deprive
Cite this Entry
“Deprive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deprive. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deprive
verb
de·prive
di-ˈprīv 
deprived; depriving
1
: to take something away from
deprive a ruler of power
2
: to stop from having something
deprived of sleep by street noises
deprivation
noun
ˌdep-rə-ˈvā-shən
Medical Definition
deprive
transitive verb
de·prive
di-ˈprīv
deprived; depriving
: to take something away from and especially something that is usually considered essential for mental or physical well-being
a child deprived of emotional support
tissue deprived of oxygen
Legal Definition
deprive
transitive verb
de·prive
deprived; depriving
: to take away or withhold something from
no person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law—U.S. Constitution amend. V
U.S. Constitution amend. VLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
