Dictionary

impoverish en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɪmˈpɒv(ə)ɹɪʃ/

Etymology

From Middle English empoverishen, impoverishen, empoverischen, enpoverisshen, Anglo-Norman empoveriss-, from Old French empoverir, from em- + povre, from Latin pauper (“poor”) (English poor).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make poor.
2. (transitive) To weaken in quality; to deprive of some strength or richness.
   • That exuberant crop quickly impoverishes any fertile soil.
   • To many of us, organized religion is obnoxious. Yet if we throw out the sense of peace, order and joy that flows from religious ritual, we impoverish ourselves. 1979 December 22, Nancy Walker, “The Reaffirmation of Life”, in Gay Community News, volume 2, number 22, page 16:
3. (intransitive) To become poor.

Forms

Antonyms

enrich · enrich

Deriveds

impoverisher · impoverishee · impoverishment

Hypernyms

deprive

Hyponyms

bankrupt

Synonyms

beggar · immiserate · impoor · ruin · pauperize · deplete · immiserate · poor · empoverish · embeggar · poverish · destitute · depauperize · poor · impoverish · ruin · empoverish · depauperate

Translations (65)

mnw ဝါတ် (to become poor) · fi köyhdyttää (to deprive of some strength or richness) · it immiserire (to make poor) · ar أَفْقَر (to make poor) · ru беднеть (to become poor) · nl verarmen (to make poor) · lv nabadzināt (to make poor) · mi whakapōhara (to make poor) · tr yoksullaştırmak (to make poor) · bg разоря (to make poor) · ia impovrir (to make poor) · lv nabadzināt (to deprive of some strength or richness) · bg разорявам (to make poor) · pt empobrecer (to become poor) · tr verimsizleştirmek (to make poor) · tr yoksullaşmak (to become poor) · fi köyhtyä (to become poor) · bg обеднявам (to become poor) · io povreskar (to become poor) · uk збі́днювати (to make poor) · ru нищать (to become poor) · nl verzwakken (to deprive of some strength or richness) · ru обеднять (to make poor) · de verarmen (to make poor) · bg обеднея (to become poor) · fr s'appauvrir (to become poor) · ko 가난하게 하다 (to make poor) · uk збі́днювати (to deprive of some strength or richness) · fr appauvrir (to make poor) · uk збідни́ти (to deprive of some strength or richness) · pl zbiednieć (to become poor) · nrf dêgraîssi (to deprive of some strength or richness) · ja 貧しくする (to make poor) · de verarmen (to become poor) · it impoverirsi (to become poor) · ko 약화시키다 (to deprive of some strength or richness) · bg обеднявам (to make poor) · pt empobrecer (to make poor) · es empobrecer (to make poor) · pl biednieć (to become poor) · la pauperō (to make poor) · pl zubożyć (to deprive of some strength or richness) · ro sărăci (to make poor) · tr fakirleştirmek (to make poor) · ro pauperiza (to make poor) · es depauperar (to make poor) · pl zubażać (to make poor) · nl verarmen (to become poor) · sh osiromašiti (to make poor) · de arm machen (to make poor) · nb utarme (to make poor) · el φτωχαίνω (to become poor) · fi köyhdyttää (to make poor) · ko 가난해지다 (to become poor) · tr güçsüzleştirmek (to make poor) · ca empobrir (to make poor) · ia impovrir (to deprive of some strength or richness) · it impoverire (to make poor) · nl verarmen (to deprive of some strength or richness) · pl zubażać (to deprive of some strength or richness) · bg обедня (to make poor) · pl zubożyć (to make poor) · uk збідни́ти (to make poor) · hu elszegényedik (to become poor) · it immiserirsi (to become poor)