deprivation

noun

dep·​ri·​va·​tion ˌde-prə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce deprivation (audio)
also
ˌdē-ˌprī- How to pronounce deprivation (audio)
1
: the state of being kept from possessing, enjoying, or using something : the state of being deprived : privation
especially : removal from an office, dignity, or benefice
2
: an act or instance of withholding or taking something away from someone or something : an act or instance of depriving : loss
overcoming the deprivations of their childhoods
the hazards of oxygen deprivation

Examples of deprivation in a Sentence

She is studying the effects of sleep deprivation. She eventually overcame the deprivations of her childhood.
Recent Examples on the Web Ireland faces a number of domestic challenges, including a severe housing shortage caused partly by the failure of successive governments to invest in affordable housing and a cost-of-living crisis that has deepened deprivation. Megan Specia, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Sleep deprivation can also impact our memory and cognition; studies have shown that driving on little sleep can be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. TIME, 18 Mar. 2024 Economic deprivation also may have limited the scope of the uprising in 2022, with few calls for mass strikes at a time of insecurity and a weakened middle class. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Plus, investigating crimes is a good way to pass the time while trapped in a never-ending sensory deprivation tank session. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 Chronic sleep deprivation caused by stress, racial trauma and other factors can increase Black Americans’ risk of developing anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, said Dr. Carmen Black, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale University. Claretta Bellamy, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2024 The lawsuit claims deprivation of liberty interest and bodily integrity, wrongful death, battery and assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, gross negligence and loss of consortium. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Garrone tilts the story gradually toward inconvenience, discomfort, and deprivation, then sends it free-falling, with stomach-lurching intensity, into extremity and despair. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Yet, despite the death, destruction and deprivations, a majority of Ukrainians remain optimistic about the future, and even describe themselves as happy, according to independent polls. Carlotta Gall Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deprivation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see deprive

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deprivation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near deprivation

Cite this Entry

“Deprivation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deprivation. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

deprivation

noun
de·​pri·​va·​tion ˌdep-rə-ˈvā-shən How to pronounce deprivation (audio) ˌdē-ˌprī- How to pronounce deprivation (audio)
: the act or process of removing or the condition resulting from removal of something normally present and usually essential for mental or physical well-being
his nervous system may have been affected by early oxygen deprivationJack Fincher
sleep deprivation

More from Merriam-Webster on deprivation

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