# deprive

/dɪˈpɹaɪv/ (US) · /dɪpɹˈaɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/deprive
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to take away or deny

verb · CEFR B2

to take something away from someone or prevent them from having it, especially something they need like sleep or food.

For teachers: to prevent a person or place from having or using something; almost always takes a direct object followed by the preposition 'of'.

- Working two jobs started to deprive him of the sleep he needed to stay healthy.
- The new legislation threatened to deprive local communities of their right to protest against the proposed industrial development.

Usage: This verb is transitive and requires the pattern 'deprive someone of something'.

### 2. to remove from office

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to officially remove a priest or member of the church from their position.

For teachers: to divest a member of the clergy of their ecclesiastical office or benefice.

- The bishop decided to deprive the priest of his position after the scandal.
- Historical records show the vicar was deprived of his living during the political upheavals of the seventeenth century.

Usage: Used specifically within church law and formal historical contexts.

Teaching tip: This is a very rare, specialized sense; students will mostly encounter the 'deny/take away' meaning in modern English.

## Examples

- Working late every night will deprive you of sleep.
- The new law would effectively deprive many citizens of their right to vote in the upcoming election.
- The harsh economic sanctions were intended to deprive the regime of the resources necessary to continue the conflict, though they primarily impacted the civilian population's access to medicine.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.