Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
BEREAVED / BEREFT
While bereaved can serve as the past tense of the verb to bereave, or to deprive of something, here we are only concerned with its use as an adjective. The word bereft, on the other hand, can only be used as an adjective and can have the same meaning as the adjective bereaved, which is to indicate that one is mourning the loss of a loved one. However, bereft is more expansive in its definitions and can also mean deprived of the possession or use of something or lacking something needed or wanted. In both of these cases, the word bereft is usually followed by the preposition of.
INCORRECT: Now that he was bereaved of a car, George had to ride his bike to work.
CORRECT: Now that he was bereft of a car, George had to ride his bike to work.
ALSO CORRECT: The bereaved widow fainted at her husband’s graveside.
ALSO CORRECT: The bereft widow fainted at her husband’s graveside.
© 2024 Ann Henry, all rights reserved.