bereavement
noun
be·reave·ment
bi-ˈrēv-mənt 
bē-
Examples of bereavement in a Sentence
The following May, my wife and I flew to London for my father's funeral. Pam, determined to wrangle us an upgrade to business class on the strength of my bereavement, gave the British Airways ticketing clerk two passports and a sob story.
—
John Haney, Gourmet, January 2003
In the sections of her book that should prove an enduring contribution to the literature of grief, Ms. Gilbert recounts her free fall into widowhood, starting with that modern rite of bereavement, the erasing of the answering-machine message.
—James S. Kunen, New York Times Book Review, 19 Mar. 1995
In any case, sadness and loss of interest and drive during periods of bereavement are expected and normal. If Mozart had not been upset by his parents' deaths, his wife's illnesses, and his separations from her, he would be less than human.
—William A. Frosch, Musical Quarterly, 1990
a period of grief after bereavement
people who have recently suffered bereavements
John Haney, Gourmet, January 2003
In the sections of her book that should prove an enduring contribution to the literature of grief, Ms. Gilbert recounts her free fall into widowhood, starting with that modern rite of bereavement, the erasing of the answering-machine message.
—James S. Kunen, New York Times Book Review, 19 Mar. 1995
In any case, sadness and loss of interest and drive during periods of bereavement are expected and normal. If Mozart had not been upset by his parents' deaths, his wife's illnesses, and his separations from her, he would be less than human.
—William A. Frosch, Musical Quarterly, 1990
a period of grief after bereavement
people who have recently suffered bereavements
Recent Examples on the Web
In many ways, the bereavement experienced post-breakup mirrors the Kübler-Ross stage model of grief:
Denial.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Platters arrive from a Jewish deli, drawn from the bereavement menu.
—David Bezmozgis, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
The Brazilian’s appearances for United were limited this season, in part due to a tragic family bereavement.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Prince William is honoring a child bereavement charity which had close links to his late mother, Princess Diana.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bereavement
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Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Platters arrive from a Jewish deli, drawn from the bereavement menu.
—David Bezmozgis, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025
The Brazilian’s appearances for United were limited this season, in part due to a tragic family bereavement.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
Prince William is honoring a child bereavement charity which had close links to his late mother, Princess Diana.
—Simon Perry, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bereavement
Cite this Entry
“Bereavement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bereavement. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bereavement
noun
be·reave·ment
bi-ˈrēv-mənt
: the state or fact of being bereaved
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