impoverish

[ im-pov-er-ish, -pov-rish ]

verb (used with object)

1. to reduce to poverty:

   a country impoverished by war.

   Antonyms: enrich

2. to make poor in quality, productiveness, etc.; exhaust the strength or richness of:

   Bad farming practices impoverished the soil.

   Synonyms: cripple, fatigue, enervate, weaken, drain, deplete

   Antonyms: enrich

impoverish

/ ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ /

verb

1. to make poor or diminish the quality of

   to impoverish society by cutting the grant to the arts

2. to deprive (soil, etc) of fertility

Derived Forms

• imˈpoverisher, noun
• imˈpoverishment, noun

Other Words From

• im·pover·ish·er noun
• im·pover·ish·ment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of impoverish¹

1400–50; late Middle English empoverishen < Middle French empovriss- (long stem of empovrir ), equivalent to em- em- ¹ + povre poor + -iss -ish ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of impoverish¹

C15: from Old French empovrir, from povre poor

Example Sentences

In a bid to survive impoverished circumstances, miners and undocumented migrants are increasingly entering closed mines to dig up their remaining deposits.

From BBC

The residents of Piltover enjoy the privileges of life in an affluent and powerful society, one that casually oppresses the impoverished inhabitants of Zaun.

From Salon

It was billed as a mass assault on a public health crisis that was gripping an impoverished post-war Glasgow.

From BBC

Frazier, as the Washington Post documented, was impoverished and frequently homeless.

From Salon

But if Trump wins, it will be clear that the U.S. is really moving toward an autocratic, cronyistic kleptocracy that will impoverish and weaken us as a nation.

From Salon

Related Words

• bankrupt
• deplete
• exhaust
• ruin