Examples of penniless in a Sentence
She was unemployed and penniless.
went from being a penniless girl to owner of her own restaurant
Recent Examples on the Web
Christophe’s son died penniless and alone on the streets of Paris in October 1805 at the age of only eleven.
—
Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Her ex-husband wiped out several bank accounts and disappeared, leaving her and their children practically penniless.
—Essence, 22 Sep. 2025
Anderson, looking every inch a Pre-Raphaelite muse, plays the penniless, unmarried, and — worst of all — conspicuous socialite Lily Bart.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The book, based entirely on a true story according to its writer, detailed the pair’s penniless trek camping along the British coast.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for penniless
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.
Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Her ex-husband wiped out several bank accounts and disappeared, leaving her and their children practically penniless.
—Essence, 22 Sep. 2025
Anderson, looking every inch a Pre-Raphaelite muse, plays the penniless, unmarried, and — worst of all — conspicuous socialite Lily Bart.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
The book, based entirely on a true story according to its writer, detailed the pair’s penniless trek camping along the British coast.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for penniless
Cite this Entry
“Penniless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penniless. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
penniless
adjective
pen·ni·less
ˈpen-i-ləs 
ˈpen-ᵊl-əs
: having no money : very poor
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share