impoverished
Americanadjective
-
reduced to poverty.
-
(of a country, area, etc.) having few trees, flowers, birds, wild animals, etc.
-
deprived of strength, vitality, creativeness, etc..
an impoverished attempt at humor.
Related Words
See poor.
Other Word Forms
- unimpoverished adjective
Etymology
Origin of impoverished
First recorded in 1625–35; impoverish + -ed 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.
Islamist militants have been known to operate in impoverished parts of central and south-western Mindanao.
From BBC
Somaliland's lack of international recognition has hampered access to foreign loans, aid and investment, and the territory remains deeply impoverished.
From Barron's
Its lack of international recognition has hampered access to foreign loans, aid and investment, and the region remains deeply impoverished.
From Barron's
The impoverished Central American nation of 11 million people relies heavily on the remittances sent by migrants working in the U.S.
“The Worlds I See” is also a scientific autobiography, a compelling account of Li’s personal and intellectual journey from the impoverished circumstances of a Chinese immigrant family life to a wealthy and world-leading university lab.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
