empobrecer

[em-po-bre-SER]
verb
to impoverish, to become poor, to impair
1. to make someone poor or reduce their wealth and resources
The economic crisis will impoverish many families.
A crise econômica vai empobrecer muitas famílias.
2. to become poor or lose wealth
He empoverished himself through bad investments.
Ele se empobrecia através de maus investimentos.
3. to diminish or weaken the quality or value of something
Overuse of pesticides impoverishes the soil.
O uso excessivo de pesticidas empobrece o solo.
In Brazil, 'empobrecer' is frequently used in discussions about socioeconomic disparities and social policies. It carries significant weight in political discourse regarding inequality and poverty reduction initiatives.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
emiserávelcondiçãoarruinarendurecerdebilitarembrutecerdegradar
Antonyms / Antônimos
enriquecerprosperarfortalecermelhorar

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
empobrecer
Standard usage throughout Brazil
São Paulo
empobrecer
Common in financial and economic contexts
Rio de Janeiro
empobrecer
Used in discussing social inequality
Portugal
empobrecer
Similar usage with slight phonetic variations

Related Words

pobrezapobrepobrementeempobrimentoriquezaempobrecido

Related Idioms & Phrases

empobrecer a alma - to impoverish the soul
empobrecer o espírito - to weaken one's spirit
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