impoverish

/ɪmˈpɒvərɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪmˈpɑːvərɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /im-ˈpä-v(ə-)rish/ (ame, mw)

impoverish — verb

  • impoverishpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • impoverisheshe / she / it
  • impoverishedpast simple
  • impoverishing-ing form

1. to take away a person's or group's money, land, or other resources so that they

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to take away a person's or group's money, land, or other resources so that they can no longer support themselves adequately or meet their basic needs.

例句

The drought impoverished Fatima's village, forcing many families to sell their land and livestock.

collocation: impoverished + village / community

The collapse of the fishing industry impoverished coastal towns like the one where Elena grew up.

同義詞
  • bankrupt

    legally unable to pay debts; narrower than 'impoverish'

  • ruin

    implies total destruction of financial well-being; stronger in tone

  • reduce to poverty

    more literal and less formal than 'impoverish'

反義詞
  • enrich

    to make someone wealthier or more prosperous

文法句型

impoverish + noun phrase (person, family, community, nation)

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice when describing the cause of impoverishment (e.g., 'The region was impoverished by decades of war').

常見錯誤

❌The recession impoverished.
✅The recession impoverished hundreds of families.
💡'impoverish' is transitive and requires a direct object.

2. to reduce the quality, richness, or variety of something, often by removing or w

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to reduce the quality, richness, or variety of something, often by removing or weakening an essential part that made it valuable or effective.

例句

Planting the same crop year after year impoverished the soil on Keiko's family farm until nothing would grow.

collocation: impoverish the soil

The constant budget cuts impoverished the school's music programme, leaving it with worn-out instruments and no teacher.

collocation: impoverish a programme / service

同義詞
  • deplete

    focuses on reducing quantity rather than quality; common with natural resources

  • drain

    suggests a gradual removal of energy or essential elements

  • sap

    implies weakening slowly; often used with 'strength' or 'vitality'

反義詞
  • enrich

    to improve the quality or content of something

  • enhance

    to increase the value, quality, or attractiveness of something

文法句型

impoverish + noun phrase (soil, culture, language, education, experience)

用法筆記

Common in discussions of environmental degradation (soil, land), education (curriculum, learning), and the arts (culture, creative output). The passive form is especially frequent: 'The language was impoverished by the loss of its dialects.'

常見錯誤

❌The poor teaching impoverished.
✅The poor teaching impoverished the students' learning experience.
💡always specify what is being reduced in quality.