impoverish
[im-pov-er-ish, -pov-rish]
verb (used with object)
to reduce to poverty: a country impoverished by war.
to make poor in quality, productiveness, etc.; exhaust the strength or richness of: Bad farming practices impoverished the soil.
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We Can Thank Alexander Hamilton For Giving Us These WordsSince Lin Manuel Miranda turned Hamilton from a mysterious face on our $10 bill to a household name, the impact this "bastard orphan" had on our modern lives has become increasingly apparent. Case in point: Many of the words and phrases used on a daily basis in America are thought to have originated with everyone's favorite "ten dollar founding father."
RELATED WORDS
hardship, insolvency, privation, famine, depletion, scarcity, starvation, distress, lack, dearth, vacancy, deficiency, want, pass, need, emptiness, bankruptcy, inadequacy, indigence, reduction
Nearby words
- imposure,
- impotence,
- impotent,
- impound,
- impoundment,
- impoverished,
- impoverishment,
- impower,
- impracticable,
- impractical
Origin of impoverish
SYNONYMS FOR impoverish
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for impoverishment
impoverish
verb (tr)
Word Origin for impoverish
C15: from Old French empovrir, from povre poor
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper