From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbe orphanedbe orphanedSSCto become an orphan She was orphaned when her parents died in a plane crash. → orphan
Examples from the Corpus
be orphaned• a home for orphaned children• I remember the night Kip was orphaned.• Increased life expectancy means that it is now a rare occurrence for children to be orphaned.• White was orphaned at 14 when his parents died in a car accident.• Ben was orphaned at an early age and raised by an uncle.• Many were orphaned by the disaster, others still suffer radiation sickness. 