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

Other Word Forms

• impoverisher noun
• impoverishment 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

He’s dismantled U.S. humanitarian assistance to impoverished lands and put pressure on allies to spend more money on war preparations, not welfare programs or foreign aid.

Read more on Salon

Under their rule, the impoverished backwater was transformed into a flashy hub of casinos and red-light districts.

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But exploiting these giant reserves remains complicated in the impoverished states with harsh and remote terrains.

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What the play most painfully illustrates is that for women like these—impoverished or politically oppressed—appealing options are nonexistent.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

AFP spoke to relatives of four men from impoverished families who travelled to Russia to join its army, three of whom are officially missing.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• bankrupt 
• deplete 
• exhaust 
• ruin