impoverished

1 of 2

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

impoverished

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of impoverish

Synonyms of impoverished

Adjective

• poor
• broke
• beggared
• deprived
• bankrupt

Examples of impoverished in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Adjective

Three gunmen barged into a small house in an impoverished neighborhood in South Africa and opened fire on a group enjoying a party inside, killing at least 11 people including a pregnant woman, police and local authorities said Wednesday. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

In 1693, Antoine Theroux, an impoverished 18-year-old boatman, was recruited to defend New France, as Canada was then known, against the Indigenous tribes and the British for King Louis XIV. — Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026

The story centers on an impoverished young miner living a muted existence in a remote town where emotional reticence is the norm among men. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

But perhaps the most impressive thing the seemingly tireless Parton did during her 80 years was donate much of her wealth to impoverished communities. — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1