impoverished
adjective
im·pov·er·ished
im-ˈpä-v(ə-)risht 
1
: reduced to poverty : poor
an impoverished family/community
2
: exhausted of richness or fertility
impoverished soils
3
of a fauna or flora
: represented by few species or individuals
Examples of impoverished in a Sentence
the widespread hope that the lottery's record-setting jackpot is won by an impoverished family
an impoverished field that over the years had been overgrazed
Recent Examples on the Web
Suu Kyi, 80, has been detained by the junta since and her whereabouts have been unclear amid a deadly civil war that was triggered by the February 2021 coup that has engulfed much of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.
—
CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Democrats have attacked these anti-fraud policies as an effort to undermine safety net programs for the impoverished.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The redevelopment could begin unfolding as the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, the former Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, begins construction on a new $35 million headquarters in Clay Arsenal, two major projects for the long-impoverished neighborhood.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
Those differences have been sharply felt in Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s impoverished southern neighbor wracked by a complex civil war since 2014.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impoverished
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.
CNN Money, 1 May 2026
Democrats have attacked these anti-fraud policies as an effort to undermine safety net programs for the impoverished.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
The redevelopment could begin unfolding as the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, the former Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, begins construction on a new $35 million headquarters in Clay Arsenal, two major projects for the long-impoverished neighborhood.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
Those differences have been sharply felt in Yemen, Saudi Arabia’s impoverished southern neighbor wracked by a complex civil war since 2014.
—Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impoverished
Cite this Entry
“Impoverished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impoverished. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
