deprived; depriving
1
: to take something away from
… deprived him of his professorship …—
J. M. Phalen
the risk of injury when the brain is deprived of oxygen
2
: to withhold something from
deprived a citizen of their rights
3
: to remove from office
… the Archbishop … would be deprived and sent to the Tower …—Edith Sitwell
4
obsolete
: remove
'Tis honor to deprive dishonored life …—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
The low rates of the recent past make these homeowners reluctant to sell their properties, depriving the market of inventory.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
During their time there, Hildebrandt and Ruby punished and abused the two youngest kids by depriving them of food and water, isolating them from others and forcing them to do strenuous physical tasks, the Washington County Attorney’s Office claimed.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
The Islamic Republic has made Iran a pariah and deprived its people — and for what?
—The Wall Street Journal, Twin Cities, 6 Jan. 2026
Drought shrivels the grapes; excessive heat deprives the juice of acidity; too much rain results in rampant mold.
—Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deprive
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Cite this Entry
“Deprive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deprive. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Kids 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
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