as in grieving
suffering the death of a loved one
the grief of the bereaved parents seemed to be without limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
variants
or bereft
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The survivors and bereaved families in The Tribe of Nova don’t have a community.
—Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
But there would inevitably be some who insisted that the bereaved also join in the singing.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bereaved
Adjective
During his visit, Evans toured impact sites caused by enemy missiles, met wounded civilians and Holocaust survivors, and provided $50,000 in financial assistance to a bereaved family.
—Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
The survivors and bereaved families in The Tribe of Nova don’t have a community.
—Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Things culminate in a fatal accident in Florida, where the bereaved hold Tesla accountable via a lawsuit.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026
But there would inevitably be some who insisted that the bereaved also join in the singing.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bereaved
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bereaved
Verb
-
The loss of Bregman to the Chicago Cubs already had deprived the Sox’s young hitters of a strong influence.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The fall of Assad in December 2024 deprived Russia of its one reliable ally in the region.—
Jeffrey Taliaferro,
The Conversation,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Former candidates Two current Jackson County leaders briefly campaigned for a full-time seat as county executive before exiting the race in recent days, leaving a field bereft of current legislators.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a real industrial approach to the sound — hard, percussive rhythms beneath the plush interior of melody, and lyrics that are just about the most fun a listener can have pretending he, too, is this glamorously besotted or gloriously bereft.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Investigators said that Scott walked through an unlocked front door, stripped off his clothes and went straight into a sleeping child’s bedroom.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Those allegations finally resulted in his being stripped of his police powers.—
Jamie Kalven,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Several conspiracy theories have emerged in the wake of the assassination, taking an emotional toll on the widowed mother of two.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
With Season 4 comes a potential new flame for the widowed Violet (Ruth Gemmell) in the form of one Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis).—
Emily Kelleher,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bereaved.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bereaved. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
