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
ShakespeareCite this Entry
“Deprive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deprive. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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