impoverish
Meaning: To make poor or reduce to poverty; to diminish the quality, richness, or strength of something. Used both literally of financial ruin and figuratively of cultural, intellectual, or environmental degradation.
Impoverish extends well beyond its financial meaning to describe any process of depletion or diminishment. Soil can be impoverished by overfarming; a culture can be impoverished by the loss of its language; a debate can be impoverished by the exclusion of dissenting voices. The passive form 'impoverished' is far more common than the active verb, functioning almost as a standalone adjective. It collocates with 'communities,' 'soil,' 'diet,' 'debate,' 'culture,' and 'imagination,' and the noun 'impoverishment' is equally versatile.
Examples
- Decades of conflict have impoverished the region, leaving millions dependent on international food aid. 数十年的冲突使该地区陷入贫困,数百万人依赖国际粮食援助。Décadas de conflicto han empobrecido la región, dejando a millones de personas dependientes de la ayuda alimentaria internacional.数十年にわたる紛争がこの地域を窮乏させ、数百万人が国際食料支援に依存するようになった。수십 년간의 분쟁이 이 지역을 궁핍하게 만들어 수백만 명이 국제 식량 원조에 의존하게 되었다.
- Intensive monoculture farming methods have impoverished the soil to such an extent that yields are now declining year on year. 集约化单一种植的农业方法已使土壤贫瘠到如此程度,以至于产量逐年下降。Los métodos de monocultivo intensivo han empobrecido el suelo hasta tal punto que los rendimientos disminuyen año tras año.集約的な単一栽培の農法により土壌がここまで痩せ果て、収量は年々減少している。집약적 단일경작 농법으로 인해 토양이 극도로 척박해져 수확량이 해마다 감소하고 있다.
- Cutting arts funding would impoverish the cultural life of the nation far beyond what the modest savings would justify. 削减艺术资金将使国家的文化生活变得贫乏,其损失远远超过节省的那点微薄资金所能补偿的。Recortar la financiación de las artes empobrecería la vida cultural de la nación muy por encima de lo que los modestos ahorros justificarían.芸術資金の削減は、そのわずかな節約額では到底正当化できないほど国の文化的生活を貧しくするだろう。예술 기금 삭감은 그 소소한 절약액으로는 도저히 정당화할 수 없을 만큼 국가의 문화적 삶을 피폐하게 만들 것이다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: general, academic
Tone: negative
Origin & History
From Old French empovrir (to make poor), from en- (make) and povre (poor), from Latin pauper. Entered English in the 15th century with the prefix altered to im- under Latin influence.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
More From This Topic
More from General Advanced
Flashcards, quizzes, audio pronunciation & spaced repetition — all free