How to pronounce bereft
Say it like buh-REFT. Bereft has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REFT).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bereft. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- buh
- REFT
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bereft pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- buhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- REFTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of bereft
American and British speakers say bereft in essentially the same way: /bəˈrɛft/ in the US and /bəˈrɛft/ in the UK.
British respelling: buh-REFT.
What does bereft mean?
- simple past and past participle of bereave How to pronounce bereave“bereft of strength”
- Pained by the loss of someone.“I was utterly bereft in the months following my wife's death.”
- Deprived of, stripped of, robbed of.
- Lacking, devoid of.
Where does bereft come from?
From Middle English bireft, v.
Words that rhyme with bereft
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bereft.
Questions about saying bereft
How do you pronounce bereft?
Say buh-REFT. The American pronunciation is /bəˈrɛft/. In British English it is /bəˈrɛft/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bereft?
Bereft has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (REFT). Broken into parts: buh · REFT.
Do Americans and Brits say bereft the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bəˈrɛft/ and the British form is /bəˈrɛft/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.