impoverish
verb (used with object)
to reduce to poverty.
had impoverished
-
past perfectof impoverish.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The suspect said the church had impoverished his family, according to police.
From Reuters ● Sep. 24, 2022
Rapid industrialisation had impoverished both English and Indian rural workers, triggering mass migrations to cities for work.
From The Guardian ● May 1, 2020
Employers could offer such meager remuneration because it was a buyer’s market: A financial crisis had impoverished many middle-class families, and experts bemoaned a surplus of single women over the age of 20.
From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2016
Heih, the father of Confucius, was governor of one of these little States, and had impoverished himself in an effort to help his people.
From Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 10 Little Journeys To The Homes Of Great Teachers by Elbert Hubbard
The loss of much money invested in war speculations 54 and the heavy taxes imposed since the war, had impoverished his estate.
From Polly and Her Friends Abroad by Lillian Elizabeth Roy
