poverty line

noun

: a level of personal or family income below which one is classified as poor according to governmental standards

called also poverty level

Examples of poverty line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Eligibility is limited to households whose net income after allowable expenses does not exceed the federal poverty line — about $32,000 a year for a family of four. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2025 Children living close to the federal poverty line make up 45% of the people who receive SNAP in Hamilton County. Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 29 Oct. 2025 Without enhanced subsidies, the average 60-year-old couple making $85,000 a year — 402% of the federal poverty line — would see their premiums increase by about $1,900 per month, according to a KFF analysis. Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025 The crux of the Democrats’ demands is that Trump permanently expand Biden’s premium tax credit coverage to include Americans earning more than 400% of the federal poverty line and reduce the maximum household contribution. Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poverty line

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty line was in 1887

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty%20line. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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