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 
Example Sentences
The dictator enriched himself but impoverished his people. Poor farming practices impoverished the soil.
Recent Examples on the Web The collapse of intellectual diversity and the narrowing limits of debate on too many campuses don’t just impoverish the education of American students. 
Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 In desperately poor Afghanistan, the ban seems certain to further impoverish its poorest citizens at a time when the country is in an economic free fall. Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2022 But others have been persuaded that any changes to pensions will impoverish the elderly, and are understandably worried — in other words, the electorate has as little trust in Illinois’ Republican legislators as in Democrats. Elizabeth Bauer, Forbes, 13 May 2021 Awarding damages for mere mistakes would impoverish debate, the court ruled. The Economist, 18 Mar. 2021 In truth, the sacrifices some families made to shoulder their debt burden underscores the folly of forcing families to impoverish themselves to attain higher education. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2020 The three countries of Central America’s impoverished Northern Triangle have extremely small asylum processing offices, but Wolf said the U.S. is working to expand their ability to process and care for asylum seekers. Robert Moore, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2019 Tamara Qiblawi and Ghazi Balkiz report from Tripoli, where the lockdown has stoked resentment, fueled rumors of a government conspiracy to further impoverish the poor and ignited violent protests. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 2 May 2020 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, who came to power through a military coup—has pursued a bleaker approach that is keeping his state solvent by impoverishing his people. Anthony Bubalo, The New Republic, 17 Mar. 2020 See More
Walter Russell Mead, WSJ, 29 Aug. 2022 In desperately poor Afghanistan, the ban seems certain to further impoverish its poorest citizens at a time when the country is in an economic free fall. Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2022 But others have been persuaded that any changes to pensions will impoverish the elderly, and are understandably worried — in other words, the electorate has as little trust in Illinois’ Republican legislators as in Democrats. Elizabeth Bauer, Forbes, 13 May 2021 Awarding damages for mere mistakes would impoverish debate, the court ruled. The Economist, 18 Mar. 2021 In truth, the sacrifices some families made to shoulder their debt burden underscores the folly of forcing families to impoverish themselves to attain higher education. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2020 The three countries of Central America’s impoverished Northern Triangle have extremely small asylum processing offices, but Wolf said the U.S. is working to expand their ability to process and care for asylum seekers. Robert Moore, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2019 Tamara Qiblawi and Ghazi Balkiz report from Tripoli, where the lockdown has stoked resentment, fueled rumors of a government conspiracy to further impoverish the poor and ignited violent protests. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 2 May 2020 President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt, who came to power through a military coup—has pursued a bleaker approach that is keeping his state solvent by impoverishing his people. Anthony Bubalo, The New Republic, 17 Mar. 2020 See More 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-ˈpä-və-rish
impoverished; impoverishing
1
: to make poor
The greedy tyrant impoverished his people.
2
: to use up the strength or richness of
impoverished soil
impoverishes
verb
1
as in bankrupts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bankrupts
- reduces
- ruins
- beggars
- pauperizes
- straitens
- breaks
- busts
- wipes out
- cleans (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- enriches
- richens
2
as in depletes
Synonyms & Similar Words
- depletes
- consumes
- exhausts
- wastes
- squanders
- overspends
- loses
- lavishes
- spends
- splurges
- dissipates
- runs through
- indulges
- blows
- overindulges
- throws away
- shoots
- expends
- disburses
- misspends
- fiddles away
- trifles (away)
- fritters (away)
- lays out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- protects
- preserves
- saves
- conserves
- hoards
- economizes
- lays up
- skimps
- scrimps