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
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
poorness
noun
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
In the remainder, the documentation was too poor to say one way or the other.
—
Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
The Warriors entered Atlanta in poor form, having lost seven of their last eight.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
In one study cited in the review, adolescent athletes with poor mental health and well-being were one-and-a-half times more likely to sustain an injury compared with their peers without mental health problems.
—Ian McMahan, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Strong work on the offensive glass was a saving grace for Boston, which grabbed 10 first-half offensive boards (by eight different players) to offset poor shooting from most of its perimeter players.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poor
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Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026
The Warriors entered Atlanta in poor form, having lost seven of their last eight.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
In one study cited in the review, adolescent athletes with poor mental health and well-being were one-and-a-half times more likely to sustain an injury compared with their peers without mental health problems.
—Ian McMahan, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Strong work on the offensive glass was a saving grace for Boston, which grabbed 10 first-half offensive boards (by eight different players) to offset poor shooting from most of its perimeter players.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for poor
Cite this Entry
“Poor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poor. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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