bereave

/bɪˈɹiːv/

//bɪˈɹiːv// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"bereave" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“bereave” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.

Key facts for bereave
PropertyValue
Headwordbereave
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bɪˈɹiːv/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “bereave” sits in English frequency

bereave falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for bereave is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bɪˈɹiːv/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

bereave has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- + reave. Cognate w… The correct English form is bereave, spelled B-E-R-E-A-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.
  2. 2
    To take away by destroying, impairing, or spoiling; take away by violence.
  3. 3
    To deprive of power; prevent.
  4. 4
    To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive.
  5. 5
    To destroy life; cut off.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- + reave. Cognate with Dutch beroven (“to rob, deprive, bereave”), German berauben (“to deprive, rob, bereave”), Danish berøve (“to deprive of”), Norwegian berøve (“to deprive”), Swedish beröva (“to rob”), Gothic 𐌱𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌿𐌱𐍉𐌽 (biraubōn).

This word in other languages

arrebatar(Español)arracher(Français)berauben(Deutsch)espoliar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "bereave"?
"bereave" is spelled B-E-R-E-A-V-E. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈɹiːv/.
What does "bereave" mean?
As a verb, "bereave" means: To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.
How do you pronounce "bereave"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "bereave" is /bɪˈɹiːv/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "bereave"?
Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- + reave.... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “bereave”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-R-E-A-V-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɪˈɹiːv/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list