poor

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adjective \ ˈpu̇r , ˈpȯr \

Definition of poor

1 a :lacking material possessions

b :of, relating to, or characterized by poverty

2 a :less than adequate :meager

b :small in worth

3 :exciting pity

you poor thing

4 a :inferior in quality or value

b :humble, unpretentious

c :mean, petty

5 :lean, emaciated

6 :barren, unproductive —used of land

7 :indifferent, unfavorable

8 :lacking a normal or adequate supply of something specified —often used in combination

oil-poor countries

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poorish

play \-ish\ adjective

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poorness

noun

See poor defined for English-language learners

See poor defined for kids

Examples of poor in a Sentence

We were too poor to buy new clothes.
The organization helps poor families.
She has a poor vocabulary.
It was a poor attempt at a joke.
He is in poor condition.
She couldn't read the sign because her vision was too poor.

Recent Examples of poor from the Web

Every year the city struggles to cope with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about its poor planning.

— Washington Post, "Building collapses in India, killing at least 12; 25 trapped," 31 Aug. 2017
The Illinois General Assembly this week approved a school funding overhaul aimed at eliminating large disparities between rich and poor schools.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "After Rauner signs funding bill, Naperville-area schools may see state dollars," 29 Aug. 2017
Waste is a sign of poor training, laziness, and lack of skills.

— carla lalli music, Bon Appetit, "20 Essential Tips to Make You a Better Cook," 29 Aug. 2017
Weldon, who had a poor scrimmage last week, is obviously out of the starting competition and could redshirt, though Richt didn’t say as much.

— susan miller degnan, miamiherald, "Freshmen seemingly out as UM quarterback race narrows," 19 Aug. 2017
In the event of poor weather, the Explorium will live stream the event, and all other activities will still take place.

— jennifer jhon, South Florida Parenting, "Where to watch the eclipse with the kids," 18 Aug. 2017
This season yielded poor crops due to lack of rain and army worm infestation.

— andrew michaels, Howard County Times, "Howard County Jewish community raises $10K for Jews in Uganda," 17 Aug. 2017
Owners Dean and Allison Kochert closed the popular cafe across the street from Mount Greenwood Park, because of a combination of higher vendor prices, poor sales and the new $11 Chicago minimum wage.

— bob bong, Daily Southtown, "Durbins restaurant to call it quits in Summit," 15 Aug. 2017
Other triggers include stress, genetics, fatigue, heat and what Gamaldo calls ‘‘poor sleep hygiene,’’ or loud, overly bright bedrooms filled with TVs and digital devices.

— malia wollan, New York Times, "How to Handle a Sleepwalker," 11 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'poor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of poor

Middle English poure, from Anglo-French povre, pore, from Latin pauper; akin to Latin paucus little and to Latin parere to give birth to, produce — more at few, pare

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

poor Synonyms

Synonyms

beggared, beggarly, broke, destitute, dirt-poor, down-and-out, famished, hard up, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, necessitous, needful, needy, pauperized, penniless, penurious, poverty-stricken, skint [chiefly British], threadbare, down on one's luck, out at elbows (or out at the elbows), out of pocket

Antonyms

affluent, deep-pocketed, fat, fat-cat, flush, moneyed (also monied), opulent, rich, silk-stocking, wealthy, well-heeled, well-off, well-to-do

Related Words

deprived, disadvantaged, dispossessed, unaffluent, underprivileged; bankrupt, bankrupted, bust (or busted), insolvent; possessionless, ruined; depressed, distressed, hand-to-mouth, hardscrabble, pinched, poorish, reduced, straitened; cash-strapped, low, short, tapped out

Near Antonyms

comfortable, prosperous

POOR Defined for English Language Learners

poor

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adjective

Definition of poor for English Language Learners

: having little money or few possessions : not having enough money for the basic things that people need to live properly
: having a very small amount of something
: not good in quality or condition