penniless

adjective

pen·​ni·​less ˈpe-ni-ləs How to pronounce penniless (audio)
Synonyms of pennilessnext
: destitute of money

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
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.
The move led to a shortage of pennies in cash registers last summer, forcing consumers and businesses to confront a penniless future in which making exact change would be difficult. CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 Some states are looking to what’s next In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor’s signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. Hannah Fingerhut, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026 In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor's signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026 Twenty-four masterpieces, many rarely lent, were gathered from museums all over the world and brought together in the city where Caravaggio, born Michelangelo Merisi, arrived penniless in 1592. Nicole Krauss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penniless

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of penniless was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penniless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penniless. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

penniless

adjective
pen·​ni·​less ˈpen-i-ləs How to pronounce penniless (audio)
ˈpen-ᵊl-əs
: having no money : very poor

More from Merriam-Webster on penniless

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