bereft

adjective

bi-ˈreft How to pronounce bereft (audio)
Definition of bereftnext
1
as in bereaved
suffering the death of a loved one to one investigator, the bereft woman seemed to be taking the sudden death of her rich husband amazingly well

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected a cheap motel completely bereft of all amenities

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bereft Somehow the small exchange had left me unaccountably frazzled, almost bereft. — Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026 Marzetti discontinued the rolls in 2021, leaving behind a bereft public. — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026 Without a pole, hook, or tree to climb, squirrels are left defeated and bereft. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026 Sure, Sorsby was an integral part of their plans this upcoming season, but the Red Raiders won't exactly be bereft of talent in 2026. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bereft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bereft
  1. bereaved
  2. devoid
  3. weeping
  4. unhappy
  5. widowed
Adjective
  • At noon, bereaved families and civil grassroot protest groups held a national minute of reflection, joined by various public hospitals, local municipalities, universities and private businesses.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Since May, health workers and burial teams such as Adolphe's have been attacked by bereaved families across the front line of the outbreak.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of bereaved
Adjective
  • In a show mostly devoid of explicit messages, the sentiment surprised me.
    — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026
  • Players take on the role of a Ditto capable of mimicking its human trainer, and the Pokémon is thrown into a world devoid of humans.
    — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of devoid
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • Its success made Cohn a rich, if unhappy, man, at least for a long while.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
  • What appeared to be a fairly normal election for a president halfway through his term — a probable setback, as unhappy voters register their discontent — has the potential, Cook said, to turn into a disaster for Republicans.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of unhappy
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
Definition of widowed

Browse Nearby Words

bereaving
bereft
beret
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Bereft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bereft. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All