How to pronounce impoverish
Say it like im-POV-rish. Impoverish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce impoverish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- im
- POV
- rish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Impoverish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- imGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- POVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- rishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of impoverish
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: im-POV-rish.
What does impoverish mean?
- To make poor.
- To weaken in quality; to deprive of some strength or richness.“That exuberant crop quickly impoverishes any fertile soil.”
- To become poor.
Where does impoverish come from?
From Middle English empoverishen, impoverishen, empoverischen, enpoverisshen, Anglo-Norman empoveriss-, from Old French empoverir, from em- + povre, from Latin pauper (“poor”) (English poor).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying impoverish
How do you pronounce impoverish?
Say im-POV-rish. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪmˈpɑvrɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˌɪmˈpɒvrɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in impoverish?
Impoverish has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (POV). Broken into parts: im · POV · rish.
Is impoverish pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˌɪmˈpɒvrɪʃ/ (im-POV-rish).