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
To consider the challenge to the new districts in a way that’s fair to voters, courts will have to consider whether DeSantis acted in a way that deprives them of their right to choose their own members of Congress.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
His mistakes have included depriving vulnerable older people of a benefit to heat their homes; raising payroll taxes on employers, while simultaneously asking them to hire more young people; and seeking a new relationship with the European Union, but never spelling out what that means.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
So that deprived the Thunder of a top-4 lottery pick.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Szabo, the city administrative officer, issued a grim warning this week about the proposal heading to the November ballot that would repeal the city’s business tax, depriving the city of about $860 million per year.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deprive
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Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
His mistakes have included depriving vulnerable older people of a benefit to heat their homes; raising payroll taxes on employers, while simultaneously asking them to hire more young people; and seeking a new relationship with the European Union, but never spelling out what that means.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
So that deprived the Thunder of a top-4 lottery pick.
—Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 11 May 2026
Szabo, the city administrative officer, issued a grim warning this week about the proposal heading to the November ballot that would repeal the city’s business tax, depriving the city of about $860 million per year.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 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 18 May. 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
