deprive

verb

de·​prive di-ˈprīv 

deprived; depriving

transitive verb

1

: to take something away from

… deprived him of his professorship …

—J. M. Phalen

the 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

4

obsolete : remove

'Tis honor to deprive dishonored life …

—Shakespeare

Synonyms of deprive

• strip

Examples 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

The bipartisan legislation, which passed 86-11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war. — Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate 86 to 11, would penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports — seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fueling the war. — Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

The collapse of the Soviet Union deprived the country of subsidized fuel and other economic assistance, revealing deep structural weaknesses in the North Korean economy. — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026

So while Murrill’s desire to deprive exonerees of money is terrible, Alexander said, her efforts to prevent them from having their names officially cleared are truly reprehensible. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English depriven, from Anglo-French depriver, from Medieval Latin deprivare, from Latin de- + privare to deprive — more at private entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing deprive

• deprive of

Rhymes for deprive

• alive
• archive
• arrive
• beehive
• connive
• contrive
• derive
• khedive
• revive
• survive
• dive
• drive

Kids 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

ˌdep-rə-ˈvā-shən

noun

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

deprivation

ˌde-prə-ˈvā-shən, ˌdē-ˌprī- 

noun