impoverish
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
-
to make poor or diminish the quality of
to impoverish society by cutting the grant to the arts
-
to deprive (soil, etc) of fertility
Other Word Forms
- impoverisher noun
- impoverishment noun
Etymology
Origin of impoverish
1400–50; late Middle English empoverishen < Middle French empovriss- (long stem of empovrir ), equivalent to em- em- 1 + povre poor + -iss -ish 2
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 image was of two emaciated, impoverished South Asian children.
From BBC
Today, the Sudanese transport company Tarco operates daily crossings, carrying around 200 passengers per trip from the modern port of Suakin, within sight of the ancient city and its impoverished environs.
From Barron's
She portrayed a spoiled socialite turned impoverished rural motel manager in “Schitt’s Creek.”
From Los Angeles Times
She went on to write a bestselling autobiographical novel, “Ruth Hall,” a rags-to-riches story about an impoverished widow who flies to fame with her newspaper column.
The impoverished North has moved to revive inbound tourism to earn much-needed hard cash in the face of sanctions over its nuclear programmes, developing lavish coast and mountain resorts.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
