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
Organizers ultimately let the 10-year-old boy, her godson, join her, but the 12-year-old boy, who was the son of a bereaved friend, had to sit elsewhere. — Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 Challenges for caregivers and schools A single death can force a bereaved family to navigate multiple intersecting losses. — Keisha M. Wint, The Conversation, 23 June 2026
Verb
The bishop longs for those who are bereaved or suffering to feel a sense of God’s love there. — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 How can bereaved families claim? — Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bereaved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bereaved
Adjective
  • In this market moment, very few index rally days are emphatic, no selloffs are fully bereft.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Perez death has left her family and those close to her bereft.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The absence of Tom Hagen is glaring, as is the loss of Sonny Corleone, whose death in the original film deprived the third installment of another defining character from the Corleone family.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the high court's 7-2 decision in 2019 that the removal of Black prospective jurors deprived Flowers of a fair trial.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The show, which follows a widowed father of three who learns to find love again while balancing parenting, was quietly canceled by Prime Video earlier this week, according to Deadline.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
  • Paromita, a widowed teacher, conceals her loneliness behind the cover of duty and routine, while Shefali, a working wife, hides her bruises beneath concealer and silence.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Despite Ukraine's pause, officials in Kyiv said the country has been stripped of advance warnings of incoming ballistic missiles, as Starlink connectivity services had been restricted across the country, disrupting military operations.
    — Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Many of those stripped from the electoral rolls are appealing their removal—an often laborious process—but the possibility of mass disenfranchisement is real.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bereaved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bereaved. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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