English Reference
adjective · verb

deprived

adj. · v.
US /dɪˈpɹaɪvd/ UK /dɪpɹˈaɪvd/ de·prived

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.not having the things that are necessary for a pleasant or successful life, such as money, housing, or education.

    adj.suffering from a lack of basic material and cultural benefits; often used to describe socio-economic status.

    Simple

    The charity works with children from deprived backgrounds to help them stay in school.

    In context

    The government has pledged significant investment to revitalise deprived urban areas that have suffered from decades of industrial decline.

    Usage

    Often used to describe areas, such as 'deprived neighbourhoods', or childhoods.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.the past form of 'deprive', meaning to take something important away from someone.

    v.the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'deprive', indicating the removal or withholding of something from an enjoyer.

    Simple

    After working for twenty hours, he felt completely deprived of sleep.

    In context

    The prisoners were deprived of basic legal representation during the initial stages of the tribunal, leading to international condemnation.

    Usage

    Almost always followed by the preposition 'of'.

The team also compared ants that had been fed with ants that had been deprived of food.

ScienceDaily· 1 Aug 2026

This would have deprived the engines of fuel, causing them to lose thrust rapidly.

BBC News· 10 Jun 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated