English Reference

Word

bereavement

Phoneticsbe·reave·ment

US/bɝˈivmənt/

UK/bɪɹˈiːvmənt/

Definition

n. the state of being very sad because you have lost someone you loved, like a family member or a close friend.

n. the state of having suffered the loss of a loved one, typically through death. Often used in the context of psychological or emotional recovery.

Examples

“He is still in the early stages of his bereavement.”

“The company offers a bereavement leave policy to help employees deal with the loss of a close family member.”

“The therapist specialises in helping patients navigate the complex emotional landscape of bereavement, providing a safe space for them to process their grief without judgment.”

Examples

simple

“He is still in the early stages of his bereavement.”

contextual

“The company offers a bereavement leave policy to help employees deal with the loss of a close family member.”

complex

“The therapist specialises in helping patients navigate the complex emotional landscape of bereavement, providing a safe space for them to process their grief without judgment.”

Real-World Examples

Common in culture and history writing

“Each member contributes 200 dalasis (about $2.70) to a shared fund that is set aside to help any woman facing hardship, whether through illness, bereavement or other unexpected difficulties.”
Al Jazeera · 14 Aug 2026
“He considers why actors, politicians and Republicans make bad friends, why the novelist Colm Tóibín makes such a good one, and how the experience of friendship is shaped by bereavement and the internet.”
The Guardian · 16 Jul 2026

Etymology

From bereave + -ment.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference