impoverished 1 of 2

adjective

im-ˈpä-v(ə-)risht How to pronounce impoverished (audio)
Definition of impoverishednext
1
as in poor
lacking money or material possessions the widespread hope that the lottery's record-setting jackpot is won by an impoverished family

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation an impoverished field that over the years had been overgrazed

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

impoverished

2 of 2

verb

past tense of impoverish
1
as in pauperized

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in depleted

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impoverished
Adjective
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 Harries describes how Matt clawed himself out of a violent, impoverished upbringing in the narrows of the city to build an enviable life as an adult. — Entertainment Weekly, 21 July 2026 Vance climbed from an impoverished, troubled childhood to graduate with honors from the Ohio State University and then attend Yale Law School. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026 The history of the Butthole Surfers began with a total commitment to impoverished boho freedom, as the band moved from Texas clubs to van tours across the country. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for impoverished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impoverished
  1. poor
  2. desolate
  3. ruined
  4. depleted
  5. broke
  6. barren
  7. reduced
  8. exhausted
Adjective
  • Covid-19 wasn’t immediately recognized as a disease with airborne transmission with the potential to spread beyond the 6-foot social distancing measure, especially in places with poor ventilation or around activities with heavy breathing.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Crepe myrtles may not bloom due to poor pruning, low light, watering issues, weak soil, or pests.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The Gwi Realm is a desolate, crimson wasteland littered with malevolent presence, so naturally there have been comparisons to that other little Netflix show called Stranger Things.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • However desolate Mars may appear from afar, there is certainly no shortage of activity on its surface — or discoveries still waiting to be made.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of desolate
Verb
  • Let’s talk about the outfits that get ruined or made irrelevant!
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
  • The spring warrant cited charities, a hospital, other city officials and community members that Parris declined to identify for fear of their reputations being ruined.
    — Pat Maio, Daily News, 31 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • Miami’s roster Saturday was depleted as German Berterame is out on concussion protocol after a hard hit against Montreal that resulted in him exiting the field in an ambulance.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
  • At the same time, the war has depleted US munitions, particularly air defense interceptors crucial to stopping attacks on bases.
    — Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Fortune, 31 July 2026
Definition of depleted
Adjective
  • News reports warn that Social Security is running out of money, going broke.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 22 July 2026
  • The pat explanation for this shift is that people are just too busy, too broke, and too brain-melted to read serious books any more.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of broke
Adjective
  • John Mozeliak just had the best day by an Angels front-office member in about a decade, replenishing a barren farm system with nine prospects after a handful of trades.
    — Levi Weaver, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Sprawling acres of largely barren farmland, still owned by the sugarcane plantations that dominated the islands’ economy for a century, line the side of the highway here, gently sloping toward the craggy green cliffs of the Waimea Canyon.
    — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of barren
Verb
  • Although the details of the project – including how the money would be divided between states and how exactly water use would be reduced – are currently undetermined.
    — Swasti Singhai, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • At a time when Iran dominates political headlines, this novel offered a deeply human perspective on a country too often reduced to geopolitics.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Players were exhausted after nearly two years of shifting restrictions and the stress of constantly facing the possibility of solitary confinement in a foreign city.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026
  • While the use of subpoena power against journalists has always been highly controversial, officials in past administrations sometimes justified it by arguing it was used as a last resort, after other investigative avenues were exhausted.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Definition of exhausted

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Cite this Entry

“Impoverished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impoverished. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on impoverished

Nglish: Translation of impoverished for Spanish Speakers

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