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Avid learner Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Bereave

Hi,

Am I using the word "bereave" correctly in the following sentence?
Is it grammatically correct?

"When one breaks the faith of a man, one bereaves his life’s meaning."

Thanks, AL
  

Top answer

It doesn't sound right. The object of "bereave" should be the thing that is affected by loss or deprivation, not the thing that is lost. "one bereaves him of his life's meaning" would make sense, but it is fairly unusual and literary to use "bereave" as an active verb.

— GPY

  • It doesn't sound right.
  • The object of "bereave" should be the thing that is affected by loss or deprivation, not the thing that is lost.
  • "one bereaves him of his life's meaning" would make sense, but it is fairly unusual and literary to use "bereave" as an active verb.
  • It is not an everyday sentence.
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1 Answers
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It doesn't sound right. The object of "bereave" should be the thing that is affected by loss or deprivation, not the thing that is lost. "one bereaves him of his life's meaning" would make sense, but it is fairly unusual and literary to use "bereave" as an active verb. It is not an everyday sentence.
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