/ bɪˈreft; NAmE / adjective [ not before noun ] ( formal )
1.
bereft of sth completely lacking sth; having lost sth :
bereft of ideas / hope
2.
( of a person ) sad and lonely because you have lost sth :
He was utterly bereft when his wife died.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: archaic past participle of bereave .