deprived; depriving
1
: to take something away from
deprived him of his professorship—
J. M. Phalen
J. M. Phalenthe risk of injury when the brain is deprived of oxygen
2
: to withhold something from
deprived a citizen of her rights
3
: to remove from office
the Archbishop … would be deprived and sent to the Tower—Edith Sitwell
Edith Sitwell4
obsolete
: remove
'tis honor to deprive dishonored life—Shakespeare
Shakespeare
Examples of deprive in a Sentence
working those long hours was depriving him of his sleep
a prince who had been deprived after those who opposed the monarchy came to power
Recent Examples on the Web
These largely Black and Brown communities were at the bottom of President Ronald Reagan’s trickle-down economic plan, which deprived these neighborhoods of social programs and opportunities.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Over the past several decades, though—and especially as a result of the pandemic—third places such as bars and cafés have begun playing a much smaller role in social life, depriving American adults of opportunities for chance encounters that can lead to friendships.
—Mikala Jamison, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
So much for conducting a careful, leisurely auction; the preempt deprives you of room.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
By ruling for the city, the jury determined that the city’s opioid problem was depriving residents of their right to public health and safety.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deprive 
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Marcus Thompson Ii, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Over the past several decades, though—and especially as a result of the pandemic—third places such as bars and cafés have begun playing a much smaller role in social life, depriving American adults of opportunities for chance encounters that can lead to friendships.
—Mikala Jamison, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024
So much for conducting a careful, leisurely auction; the preempt deprives you of room.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
By ruling for the city, the jury determined that the city’s opioid problem was depriving residents of their right to public health and safety.
—Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 12 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deprive
Articles Related to deprive
Dictionary Entries Near deprive
Cite this Entry
“Deprive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deprive. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deprive
verb
de·prive
di-ˈprīv 
deprived; depriving
1
: to take something away from
deprive a ruler of power
2
: to stop from having something
deprived of sleep by street noises
deprivation
noun
ˌdep-rə-ˈvā-shən
Medical Definition
deprive
transitive verb
de·prive
di-ˈprīv
deprived; depriving
: to take something away from and especially something that is usually considered essential for mental or physical well-being
a child deprived of emotional support
tissue deprived of oxygen
Legal Definition
deprive
transitive verb
de·prive
deprived; depriving
: to take away or withhold something from
no person shall…be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law—U.S. Constitution amend. V
U.S. Constitution amend. VLove words? Need even more definitions?
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