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
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 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 Her troubled and impoverished family sends her to another family’s farm so the girl’s overwhelmed mother can give birth to yet another child. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 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
  • Disease that has spread to those organs is associated with poorer treatment outcomes.
    — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings.
    — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The road that leads to the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women is long and desolate.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As filmmakers, they were drawn to the unexpected beauty of the desolate, postindustrial landscape.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of desolate
Verb
  • My brother’s wife has ruined each and every get-together by having constant fights with her little boy about eating.
    — Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points, Jaylen Brown had 19, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and the Sixers ruined the Knicks' championship party.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • Politifact reported that the Ukrainian attacks have depleted Russian diesel fuel exports, which has left a hole in the global market and ratcheted up the price.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Left unplugged overnight, the battery only depleted a few percent.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of depleted
Adjective
  • Morning Glory Milking Farm is the tale of a broke postgraduate who takes a job collecting minotaur semen for a pharmaceutical company.
    — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of broke
Adjective
  • These bright spots in an otherwise barren season for curve representation weren’t necessarily novel.
    — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Research into turning Martian dust into material that supports plant growth highlights how much work remains to make barren planetary materials useful for agriculture.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of barren
Verb
  • The combination also reduced the hazard of cancer spreading to distant sites or death by 38%.
    — Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In Spain, modern farming methods have reduced the practice of transhumance to a small group of farmers that keep the tradition alive not just for its environmental benefits but also for its cultural value.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Trump is waging a campaign in the final moments of the midterm election to quell discontent among farmers, truckers and drivers exhausted by $4 gas and near-record diesel.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In an interview with the Financial Times, published today, Zelenskyy indicated his own patience had been exhausted.
    — David Hickey, NBC news, 15 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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