impoverish

verb

im·​pov·​er·​ish im-ˈpä-v(ə-)rish 

impoverished; impoverishing; impoverishes

transitive verb

1

: to make poor

2

: to deprive of strength, richness, or fertility by depleting or draining of something essential

impoverisher noun

impoverishment

im-ˈpä-v(ə-)rish-mənt 

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for impoverish

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.

deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

Examples of impoverish in a Sentence

The dictator enriched himself but impoverished his people.

Poor farming practices impoverished the soil.

Recent Examples on the Web

Though impoverished by war, the country has also developed an impressive defense-tech sector. —Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024

This marginalization impoverishes global scholarship, narrowing the diversity of perspectives needed to tackle complex challenges for businesses who sometimes have the best intentions. —Hec Paris Insights, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

That a short-term judgment about what the market will bear can choke off a literary legacy and, to some extent, impoverish a culture. —Mark Athitakis, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2024

The National Council on Aging has found that 80% of older adults would be unable to absorb a financial shock — such as the need for long-term care — without impoverishing themselves. —Jane Tavares, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enpoverisshen, from Anglo-French empoveriss-, stem of empoverir, from en- + povre poor — more at poor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

impoverish

verb

im·​pov·​er·​ish im-ˈpäv-(ə-)rish 

1

: to make poor

2

: to use up the strength or richness of

impoverished soil

impoverishment

-mənt 

noun