Impoverish Meaning
/ɪmˈpɒv(ə)ɹɪʃ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo make someone or something poor; to exhaust the strength or resources of.
verbTo make poor.
Sentence Examples
They are trying to impoverish people.
They want to impoverish us.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Years of war will ____ the nation, leaving its people hungry.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The war would ____ the entire nation for decades.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English empoverishen, impoverishen, empoverischen, enpoverisshen, Anglo-Norman empoveriss-, from Old French empoverir, from em- + povre, from Latin pauper (“poor”) (English poor).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Years of war will ____ the nation, leaving its people hungry.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The war would ____ the entire nation for decades.