impoverish

verb

im·​pov·​er·​ish im-ˈpä-v(ə-)rish 

impoverished; impoverishing; impoverishes

transitive verb

1

: to make poor

2

: to deprive of strength, richness, or fertility by depleting or draining of something essential

impoverisher noun

impoverishment

im-ˈpä-v(ə-)rish-mənt 

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for impoverish

deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency.

deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function.

depleting our natural resources

drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence.

personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit

exhaust stresses a complete emptying.

her lecture exhausted the subject

impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness.

impoverished soil

bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse.

war had bankrupted the nation of resources

Examples of impoverish in a Sentence

The dictator enriched himself but impoverished his people.

Poor farming practices impoverished the soil.

Recent Examples on the Web

Emilee Hackney is an eighth-generation Appalachian who grew up in the coalfields of southwest Virginia in a family so impoverished her parents occasionally raided her and her brother’s piggy banks to pay the mortgage and buy groceries. — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 28 June 2026

There are some people who believe that new residents impoverish and take away from our quality of life and our schools. — Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 20 May 2026

At the same time, serving your nation shouldn’t impoverish you or prevent your spouse or children from having a career or saving for retirement. — Jeff Horseman, Oc Register, 5 May 2026

Uranium enrichment has impoverished national enrichment. — Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enpoverisshen, from Anglo-French empoveriss-, stem of empoverir, from en- + povre poor — more at poor

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

impoverish

verb

im·​pov·​er·​ish im-ˈpäv-(ə-)rish 

1

: to make poor

2

: to use up the strength or richness of

impoverished soil

impoverishment

-mənt 

noun