bereft
Say it: bih-REFT /bɪˈrɛft/ · adjective
What “bereft” means
Deeply sad and lonely after losing someone or something.
More precisely: Deeply sad and lonely after a loss; also, lacking something needed.
Example: “She was bereft after her dog of fourteen years died.”
When to use it
For profound grief and loneliness after a loss. A serious, often literary word for feeling painfully deprived.
It can also mean
It can also mean lacking something important, as in “bereft of ideas”.
Similar words
grief-stricken, desolate, heartbroken
Where it comes from
From Old English berēafian, "to rob, deprive."
Quick check
After your lifelong partner dies, the house feels painfully empty and you cannot imagine life without them. You feel…
wistful or bereft?
Show the answer
bereft
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