How to pronounce bereave
Say it like bih-REEV. Bereave has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REEV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bereave. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bih
- REEV
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bereave pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- REEVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of bereave
American and British speakers say bereave in essentially the same way: /bɪˈriv/ in the US and /bɪˈriːv/ in the UK.
British respelling: bih-REEV.
What does bereave mean?
- To deprive by or as if by violence; to rob; to strip.
- To deprive of power; prevent.
- To take away someone or something that is important or close; deprive.“Death bereaved him of his wife.”
Where does bereave come from?
Inherited from Middle English bireven, from Old English berēafian (“to bereave, deprive of, take away, seize, rob, despoil”), from Proto-Germanic *biraubōną, and Old English berēofan (“to bereave, deprive, rob of”); both equivalent to be- + reave.
Words that rhyme with bereave
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bereave.
Questions about saying bereave
How do you pronounce bereave?
Say bih-REEV. The American pronunciation is /bɪˈriv/. In British English it is /bɪˈriːv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bereave?
Bereave has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REEV). Broken into parts: bih · REEV.
Do Americans and Brits say bereave the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɪˈriv/ and the British form is /bɪˈriːv/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.