impoverished

adjective

im·​pov·​er·​ished im-ˈpä-v(ə-)risht 

1

: reduced to poverty : poor

an impoverished family/community

2

: exhausted of richness or fertility

impoverished soils

3

of a fauna or flora : represented by few species or individuals

Synonyms of impoverished

• poor
• broke
• beggared
• deprived
• bankrupt

Examples of impoverished in a Sentence

the widespread hope that the lottery's record-setting jackpot is won by an impoverished family

an impoverished field that over the years had been overgrazed

Recent Examples on the Web

In impoverished Nepal, where a conservative culture leaves openly transgender people with few legal job options, the impact on aid workers’ lives was particularly crushing. — ABC News, 23 July 2026

The founders, who experienced their own financial struggles despite successful careers, target individuals with decent salaries who feel insecure, not the impoverished. — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Once a deeply impoverished and remote region, Fuping county has been a posterchild for success in Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s poverty alleviation campaign over the previous decade – and officials are keen to continue to find ways to boost growth. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 21 July 2026

Shania Twain is looking back on her long journey from an impoverished childhood in rural Canada to international superstardom and finally coming to terms with her past in her 60s. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1