bereaved 1 of 2

Definition of bereavednext
as in grieving
suffering the death of a loved one the grief of the bereaved parents seemed to be without limit

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bereaved

2 of 2

verb

variants or bereft
past tense of bereave
as in deprived
to take something away from news of a death in the family bereaved them of the unmitigated joy that normally prevails at a wedding

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bereaved
Adjective
For weeks, the courtroom has been filled with bereaved parents holding framed photos of their children who died after encountering harm on social media. Bobby Allyn, NPR, 18 Feb. 2026 Once again, bereaved parents are sitting in the courtroom audience. Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Things culminate in a fatal accident in Florida, where the bereaved hold Tesla accountable via a lawsuit. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026 But there would inevitably be some who insisted that the bereaved also join in the singing. Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bereaved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bereaved
Verb
  • The 27-year-old's absence especially hurt on defense and deprived him time to build chemistry with star guard James Harden, whose acquisition at the trade deadline has raised title hopes.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
  • So her death also deprived us of another eight fantastic episodes.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Paris fashion shows were bereft without her.
    Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
  • Now the reality of losing Beryl to cancer in an NHS hospital overlooking Camden Town, opera floating down the halls at her request, left us all completely bereft.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, ceramides help reinforce the skin barrier so the exfoliating ingredients don’t leave skin feeling stripped or dry.
    Hana Hong, Glamour, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Inspector Jeremy Scheublin, 45, was stripped of his gun and shield on Wednesday, according to the NYPD and internal police records reviewed by the Daily News.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Several conspiracy theories have emerged in the wake of the assassination, taking an emotional toll on the widowed mother of two.
    Peter D'Abrosca, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
  • With Season 4 comes a potential new flame for the widowed Violet (Ruth Gemmell) in the form of one Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis).
    Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bereaved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bereaved. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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