deprive someone of something

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deprive someone of something" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the act of taking away or denying someone access to something they possess or have a right to. Example: "The new policy will deprive students of their right to free lunch, which many families rely on."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is brutality to deprive someone of that.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But is it OK to deprive someone of a day of education just because they don't look smart enough?

The Guardian - Opinion

"The imposition of sanctions would not lead to automatic arrest or action to deprive someone of their nationality".

The Guardian

It is never an easy task nor should it be to deprive someone of their liberty.

Vice

Depriving someone of their liberty before charge is a huge responsibility.

The Guardian

"Depriving someone of their liberty should always be a last resort and only ever done in someone's best interests.

The Guardian

Fraud, in law, the deliberate misrepresentation of fact for the purpose of depriving someone of a valuable possession.

Britannica

Maybe that's a kind of punishment, simply depriving someone of future existence.

Huffington Post

Something can also remind you (or someone) of something.

BBC

"You wanted someone, you felt deprived of something, and then it seems to be there.

The Guardian - Books

"He recognized that he was trying to deprive us of something of value," Ms. Taylor said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "deprive someone of something", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being taken away and why. The phrase often carries a negative connotation, so consider the implications of its use.

Common error

Avoid using "from" instead of "of" after "deprive". The correct construction is "deprive someone of something", not "deprive someone from something".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deprive someone of something" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the act of taking away or withholding something from someone. It expresses a transitive action where a subject deprives an object (someone) of another object (something). As noted by Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

19%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Science

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "deprive someone of something" is a grammatically sound and relatively common expression used to describe the act of taking something away from someone. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, highlighting its prevalence in news, encyclopedias and wiki articles. When writing, it's important to ensure correct preposition usage ("of", not "from") and consider the negative connotations it carries. Related phrases include "take something away from someone" and "deny someone something", each with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

take something away from someone

A more general phrase that simply means to remove something from someone's possession or access.

dispossess someone of something

Focuses on the act of taking possession away from someone, often implying legal or formal means.

strip someone of something

Implies a forceful or complete removal of something, often rights or honors.

divest someone of something

Suggests a formal or official removal of something, like authority or property.

deny someone something

Focuses on the act of refusing to grant or allow someone access to something.

withhold something from someone

Emphasizes the act of holding back or preventing someone from receiving something.

rob someone of something

Implies an illegal or unethical taking of something valuable.

cheat someone out of something

Suggests deceiving someone to lose something.

defraud someone of something

Focuses on the act of depriving someone through deception or fraud.

deprive someone from something

This is a grammatical error, where 'of' is incorrectly replaced with 'from'.

FAQs

How to use "deprive someone of something" in a sentence?

Use "deprive someone of something" to indicate that a person or entity is being prevented from having or accessing something. For example, "The new law will "deprive citizens of" their basic rights".

What can I say instead of "deprive someone of something"?

You can use alternatives like "take something away from someone", "deny someone something", or "strip someone of something" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "deprive someone of something" or "deprive someone from something"?

"Deprive someone of something" is the correct usage. "Deprive someone from something" is grammatically incorrect.

What does it mean to "deprive someone of their liberty"?

To "deprive someone of their liberty" means to imprison them or otherwise restrict their freedom of movement.