Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Sorrowful through loss or deprivation: Describes the state of deep sadness experienced due to the death or loss of a loved one.
   • Bereft of something: Often used to indicate being deprived of or left without something, especially something cherished.

2. Noun:

   • A person who has suffered the death of someone they loved: Refers to an individual who is grieving the loss of a close person, such as a family member or friend. Often used collectively as "the bereaved" to refer to a group of such people.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The bereaved family received many condolences. (The family, saddened by their loss, received many expressions of sympathy.)
  • She felt utterly bereaved after her friend moved away. (She felt a deep sense of loss after her friend's departure.)

• Noun:

  • The counselor offered support to the bereaved. (The counselor offered support to the person/people who had lost a loved one.)
  • As a bereaved, he understood the pain of loss. (As someone who had suffered a loss, he understood the pain.)

Advanced Usage

• "The bereaved" (collective noun): Often used with a definite article to refer to grieving people as a group, especially in formal contexts like funerals or legal matters.
  • The priest addressed words of comfort to the bereaved.
• "Newly bereaved": Describes someone who has very recently experienced a loss.
  • Support groups are available for the newly bereaved.

Variants and Related Words

• Bereavement (n): The state of having lost a loved one through death; the period of grief and mourning.
  • She took a leave of absence due to her bereavement.
• Bereft (adj): Deprived of or lacking something, often used similarly to "bereaved" but can apply to non-death losses (e.g., hope, joy).
  • He was bereft of all hope.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Grieving, sorrowing, mournful, lamenting.
• Noun: Mourner, griever.

Related Phrases

• "Widow/Widower": A specific type of bereaved person who has lost a spouse.
• "Next of kin": A legal term often related to the bereaved in official matters.

Adjective

1. sorrowful through loss or deprivation
   • bereft of hope

Noun

1. a person who has suffered the death of someone they loved
   • the bereaved do not always need to be taken care of