berauben
rob
Jemandem etwas wegnehmen, oft mit Gewalt oder gegen seinen Willen.
Definition & meaning
berauben means:
- To rob someone or take something from them by theft or force.
- To deprive someone of something, often an abstract thing such as freedom, rights, or hope.
It commonly appears in the construction “to deprive someone of something”: jemanden seiner Freiheit berauben — “to deprive someone of their freedom.”
Grammar & Word origin
berauben is a separable? No: it is an inseparable verb, so its prefix be- is not stressed and does not split off. It is regular: beraubte, hat beraubt.
The verb is usually used with an accusative person and a genitive for what is taken: jemanden seiner Rechte berauben (“to deprive someone of their rights”). The thing taken can also be introduced with um + accusative: jemanden um sein Geld berauben (“to rob someone of their money”).
It is formed from be- + rauben, “to rob” or “to steal.”
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms vary with the meaning:
- ausrauben — to rob or loot someone, often emphasizing theft of possessions; less often used for abstract things.
- bestehlen — to steal from someone, usually without the broader sense of depriving them of something abstract.
- entziehen — to withdraw or take away something, often rights, access, or support; it does not necessarily imply theft or force.
- wegnehmen — to take something away; more general and less formal.
Possible antonyms depend on the context:
- gewähren — to grant or allow something, opposite to taking away a right or freedom.
- zurückgeben — to give something back, opposite to keeping what was taken.
- beschützen — to protect someone, contrasting with robbing or harming them.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Die Räuber wollten ihn seines Geldes berauben.verb
The robbers wanted to rob him of his money.
Der Sturm beraubte viele Menschen ihres Schlafes in der Nacht.verb
The storm robbed many people of their sleep during the night.
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