impoverished
adjective
-ˈpä-və-\
Definition of impoverished
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
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Synonyms & Antonyms for impoverished
Synonyms
beggared, beggarly, broke, destitute, dirt-poor, down-and-out, famished, hard up, impecunious, indigent, necessitous, needful, needy, pauperized, penniless, penurious, poor, poverty-stricken, skint [chiefly British], threadbare
Antonyms
affluent, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush, moneyed (also monied), opulent, rich, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do
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Examples of impoverished in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For example, in an impoverished country with a high risk of infectious disease and death in childbirth, the few wealthy citizens can avoid these risks through expensive healthcare. — Cathleen O'grady, Ars Technica, "Genetics play less of a role in lifespan than we thought," 8 Nov. 2018 What much of our culture tells us, including TV and media and even songs, are that poverty is due to the bad choices of the impoverished. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "‘Sorry to Bother You’ director Boots Riley suspects social media platforms are hiding politics they don’t like," 8 Oct. 2018 That movie was a comment on gun laws and culture, and other political subthemes followed, from treatment of the impoverished to predatory economics that feed the rich and take away from the poor. — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, "'The First Purge' trolls its biggest inspiration: the Trump administration," 2 July 2018 Parker, a single mom, also partners with The CornerStone Initiative's Jobs for Life program to hire employees from the area's most impoverished neighborhoods. — Shelly Haskins, AL.com, "'Hail Mary' nets business TD for Rocket City company," 29 Apr. 2018 A Milwaukee Journal Sentinel analysis of housing costs showed people in some of the most impoverished areas of the city can pay as much as $900 per month in rent. — James E. Causey Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The ache of segregation: One woman's journey from city to the burbs," 21 June 2018 Most of the arrivals, after being apprehended at the border, were simply given bus tickets to this already impoverished area. — Brian Goldstone, The New Republic, "Essential reporting, interpretation, and opinion on politics and culture. Don't miss our latest.," 26 June 2018 The context is a profoundly impoverished intellectual and political climate where the feeling of truth is more meaningful than truth itself. — Laurie Penny, Longreads, "Peterson’s Complaint," 12 July 2018 Granik's sophomore effort, Winter's Bone (2010), brought critical acclaim to TV actress Jennifer Lawrence for her flinty performance as an impoverished 17-year-old girl fending for herself and her younger siblings in the Ozarks. — J.r. Jones, Chicago Reader, "Leave No Trace approaches homelessness on the most intimate terms," 11 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impoverished.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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