privation
/privation/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A state in which things that are essential for well-being, such as food, money, or basic rights, are lacking or absent. It refers to a condition of severe deprivation or hardship. 2. The act of depriving someone of such essentials. (This meaning is less common and often overlaps with "deprivation").
Usage and Examples
Noun (State of Lack):
- The refugees endured years of privation, lacking adequate food, shelter, and medical care.
- The economic collapse led to widespread privation among the population.
- He accepted the privations of life in the remote research station for the sake of science.
Noun (Act of Depriving):
- The privation of his civil liberties was a grave injustice. (Here, "deprivation" is more common).
Advanced Usage and Nuance
- Privation vs. Deprivation: While often used interchangeably, can imply a more severe, prolonged, or absolute lack, especially of life's necessities. is a broader term for having something taken away or being denied something, which can range from minor to severe.
- Philosophical Context: In philosophy, can refer to the absence of a quality that something normally possesses (e.g., blindness as a of sight).
Variants and Related Words
- Deprive (verb): To deny someone the possession or use of something.
- Deprivation (noun): The damaging lack of material benefits considered to be basic necessities in a society; the state of being deprived.
- Indigence (noun): A state of extreme poverty; destitution. (A stronger synonym for the poverty aspect of ).
Synonyms
- Hardship
- Destitution
- Want
- Penury
- Need
Antonyms
- Affluence
- Plenty
- Abundance
- Luxury
Idioms and Phrases
- To suffer privations: To experience and endure conditions of severe lack.
- The early settlers suffered many privations during the first winter.
Noun
- act of depriving someone of food or money or rights
- nutritional privation
- deprivation of civil rights
- a state of extreme poverty