2 syllables: de, prive. Stress on prive.
dip-REYEV
/dɪˈpɹaɪv/
deprive is pronounced dip-REYEV (/dɪˈpɹaɪv/). It has two syllables (de-prive), with the stress on "prive". Deprive means to take something away from someone, usually something that is needed or enjoyed. It can also describe the act of withholding a right or opportunity. The term is most often used in formal or moral contexts, emphasizing the loss or denial experienced by the subject.
Deprive means to take something away from someone, usually something that is needed or enjoyed. It can also describe the act of withholding a right or opportunity. The term is most often used in formal or moral contexts, emphasizing the loss or denial experienced by the subject.
"The policy would deprive citizens of their basic rights."
"She felt deprived of sleep after the long trip."
"Reducing funds could deprive the community of essential services."
Pronunciation: dɪˈpraɪv. Break it into syllables: de-prive, with primary stress on -prive. Start with /d/ + short /ɪ/ (like 'di' in dip), then a stressed /ˈpraɪ/ vowel cluster (like 'pry'), and finish with /v/. In careful speech, the /praɪ/ diphthong is clear and the final /v/ is voiced. Audio reference: typical pronunciation available on major dictionaries and Forvo entries. IPA guidance helps you place your tongue: /d/ with the tip behind the upper teeth, lips neutral, then /ɪ/ quickly to /praɪ/ as the tongue glides to a high front position for /ɪ/ and then /praɪ/ where the vowel rises toward /aɪ/. The final /v/ is labiodental voiced.
Common mistakes include softening the final /v/ to /f/ or misplacing stress. Some speakers de-emphasize the second syllable, saying de-PRIVe with reduced emphasis on the /praɪ/ part, while others insert an extra vowel like /dɪˈprɪv/ or /dəˈpraɪv/. Correct by ensuring the diphthong /aɪ/ is: start mid-low /ɪ/ then move to /aɪ/ quickly, keep the /v/ voiced, and place primary stress on the /praɪ/ syllable.
In US, UK, and AU, the core /dɪˈpraɪv/ sound is similar, but rhoticity and vowel quality subtly differ. US and AU tend to be rhotic with a slightly closer /ɪ/ before the diphthong and a more pronounced /v/ voicing. UK often features a slightly crisper /pɹ/ onset and a marginally longer vowel transition in /aɪ/. The final consonant remains /v/ across regions. IPA remains /dɪˈpraɪv/ for all; differences lie in vowel length and consonant release timing.
The difficulty lies in the diphthong /aɪ/ forming from /ɪ/ to /aɪ/, which requires precise tongue height and gliding. The initial /d/ and the /p/ release must align with a crisp /ˈpraɪ/ cluster, and the final /v/ demands a stable labiodental contact with continuous voicing. Many learners also under-pronounce the vowel or merge /dɪ/ into a schwa, producing /dəˈpraɪv/. Focus on sustaining the /ɪ/ to /aɪ/ transition and a clear, voiced /v/.
Is there a nuance in pronouncing the second syllable when followed by a consonant cluster? Yes. In phrases like 'deprive of rights,' the /ˈpraɪv/ portion remains stable, but you often reduce surrounding vowels. Maintain the full /ɪ/ to /aɪ/ glide in the syllable nucleus, and ensure the following /v/ begins with a firm /v/ onset rather than a voiceless /f/ substitution, even when the next word starts with a vowel.
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Deprive derives from the Middle English depriven, from Old French depriver, which itself comes from Latin deprīvāre, meaning to deprive or rob. The Latin prefix de- conveys removal or reversal, while -privare stems from privus, meaning private or set apart. The shift from Latin to Old French brought the sense of taking away a possession or right, which carried into Middle English as depriven and later deprived. The verb form evolved to the present tense deprive, with the noun deprivation arising from the late 15th century. Over centuries, deprive has maintained a formal, often moral or legal tone, frequently applied to rights, opportunities, or resources. First known use in English appears in the 15th century, aligning with religious and political rhetoric that framed loss of rights as a moral or social injury. In modern usage, deprive remains common in legal, ethical, and policy discussions, typically paired with objects like rights, liberties, or sustenance.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "deprive" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "deprive"
-ive sounds
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