poor

adjective

ˈpu̇r  ˈpȯr 

1

a

: lacking sufficient money or material possessions

too poor to buy new clothes

b

: of, relating to, or characterized by poverty

a poor nation

2

a

: less than adequate : meager

a poor effort

poor attendance

b

: small in worth

3

: exciting pity

you poor thing

4

a

: inferior in quality or value

had poor language skills

b

: humble, unpretentious

c

: mean, petty

poor sports

5

: lean, emaciated

6

: barren, unproductive

—used of land

7

: indifferent, unfavorable

had a poor opinion of them

a poor profession

8

: lacking a normal or adequate supply of something specified

—often used in combination

oil-poor countries

poorish

ˈpu̇r-ish 

ˈpȯr-

adjective

poorness noun

Synonyms of poor

• impoverished
• broke

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 on the Web

Communities across parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast will face poor air quality until Saturday afternoon, when a storm system arrives to help clear the air. — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Gartner reported in 2026 that organizations with successful AI initiatives invest up to four times more in data quality, governance, AI-ready people and change management than organizations reporting poor outcomes. — Robert Kramer, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Tens of thousands of residents were displaced in the years surrounding the Games, many of them poor and disproportionately Black. — Jeffrey Bennett, Time, 17 July 2026

But both of these increase the gap between the solar clock and the body’s internal clock, which has been linked to poor health outcomes. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing poor

• a poor second/third/fourth
• bad/poor form
• bad/poor loser
• dirt-poor
• in poor/bad (etc.) condition
• in (very) bad/poor taste
• land-poor
• make a poor fist of
• poor/bad sport
• poor box
• poor boy
• poor devil
• poor farm
• poor law
• poor man's
• poor-mouth
• poor/sad/sorry excuse for
• poor-spirited
• poor white
• the poor
• undeserving poor
• whip-poor-will

Kids Definition

poor

1 of 2 adjective

ˈpu̇(ə)r, 

ˈpō(ə)r

1

: lacking riches or possessions

2

: less than enough

a poor crop

3

: not good in quality or character of work

4

: lacking fertility

poor land

5

: not satisfactory

the patient had a poor day

6

: lacking in signs of wealth or good taste

poor furnishings

7

: worthy of pity or sympathy

the poor kitten hurt its paw

poorly adverb

poorness noun

poor

2 of 2 plural noun

: poor people

charity for the poor