anti-poverty

adjective

an·​ti-pov·​er·​ty ˌan-tē-ˈpä-vər-tē 

ˌan-tī-

variants or antipoverty

: opposing poverty : designed or intended to relieve poverty

anti-poverty efforts/policies

… the legislation severely restricts eligibility for food stamps, Medicaid and other benefits, cutting $56 billion from antipoverty programs.

—Ellen L. Bassuk et al.

Examples of anti-poverty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Critics of the overhaul say the new policies will alter the mission of the anti-poverty, early learning program to provide high-quality services that prepare young children for school. — Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026

Using the Census Bureau’s official poverty count, that anti-poverty spending comes out to $35,000 in annual expenditures for every person in poverty, or $181,000 per family in poverty. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026

Barber, a longtime voting rights and anti-poverty advocate, has made increasing participation among low-income Americans a central theme of his national organizing work. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026

Conceived as an anti-poverty program, Social Security today pays out most of its benefits not to the poor but to the middle class and the rich. — Marc Novicoff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for anti-poverty

• antipoverty
• poverty