adj C2 Proficient

bereft

buh-REHFT

Bereft (adj) means Left in a state of grief or emptiness after a painful loss. Example: “He felt utterly bereft after his dog died.”

adj

Left in a state of grief or emptiness after a painful loss.

"He felt utterly bereft after his dog died."

Completely lacking something; stripped of it.

"The abandoned house stood bereft of furniture, its rooms echoing and bare."

"The plan was bereft of any real detail."

How to use bereft

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither devastated by a loss, or simply "without" something entirely — always followed by "of" in the second sense.

Easily confused with

bereaved →

Common pairings

bereft of hope bereft of ideas left bereft

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He felt utterly _____ after his dog died.

Etymology

An old past-tense form of "bereave," related to the words leave and left.

Frequently asked questions

What does “bereft” mean?

The word “bereft” means left in a state of grief or emptiness after a painful loss. In plain terms, either devastated by a loss, or simply "without" something entirely — always followed by "of" in the second sense.

How do you pronounce “bereft”?

“Bereft” is pronounced buh-REHFT (/bəˈɹɛft/ in IPA).

How do you use “bereft” in a sentence?

Here is “bereft” used in a sentence: “He felt utterly bereft after his dog died.”

What part of speech is “bereft”?

“Bereft” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “bereft” have?

“Bereft” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: left in a state of grief or emptiness after a painful loss.

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