bereaved

IPA/bɪˈriːvd/
KK[bɚˈivd]IPA/bɪˈriːvd/

bereaved — adjective

  • bereavedpositive
  • more bereavedcomparative
  • most bereavedsuperlative

1. feeling great unhappiness because a family member or close friend has died recen

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

feeling great unhappiness because a family member or close friend has died recently

Example

The bereaved family received warm sympathy cards from neighbors across the town.

bereaved family

Amara found comfort in a support group for bereaved parents after her son passed away.

bereaved parents

Common collocations
  • bereaved family
  • bereaved parents
  • bereaved widow
  • bereaved children
Synonyms
  • grieving

    broader — can describe sadness from any type of loss, not only death

  • mourning

    focuses on the outward expression of grief rather than the inner state

Grammar Patterns

bereaved + noun (family/parents/widow)

Usage Note

Frequently placed before nouns for family members, such as 'family', 'parents', 'widow', or 'children'.

Common Mistakes

She is a bereaving mother.
She is a bereaved mother.
'bereaved' is the correct adjective form; 'bereaving' is extremely rare and not standard English.

bereaved — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe sadness caused by loss, but they differ in scope and focus. 'Bereaved' is the most specific — it refers exclusively to the state of having lost someone through death, often a close family member. 'Grieving' is broader: you can grieve the end of a relationship, the loss of a job, or the death of a pet. 'Mourning' emphasises the external, cultural or religious expression of grief (wearing black, observing a period of silence). 'Sorrowful' is a general adjective for deep sadness and does not necessarily imply any specific cause. 'Widowed' applies only to someone whose spouse has died. For example: 'The bereaved mother could not stop crying'; the same woman might be described as 'a grieving mother' (focus on her emotional process) or 'a mourning mother' (focus on her wearing dark clothes and avoiding celebrations).

grieving ↗mourning ↗sorrowful ↗widowed ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • grief counseling for the bereaved
  • support group for the bereaved

Adverbs

Phrases

  • left bereaved
  • the recently bereaved

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Bereaved comes from the Old English word 'berēafian', which meant 'to rob, plunder, or take away by force'. The prefix 'be-' adds the sense of 'thoroughly', while 'rēafian' means 'to rob or deprive'. Over centuries, the meaning narrowed from 'deprived of any possession' to the modern sense of being deprived of a loved one specifically through death.