poverty

noun

pov·​er·​ty ˈpä-vər-tē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions
b
: renunciation as a member of a religious order of the right as an individual to own property
2
3
a
: debility due to malnutrition
b
: lack of fertility
Choose the Right Synonym for poverty

poverty, indigence, penury, want, destitution mean the state of one with insufficient resources.

poverty may cover a range from extreme want of necessities to an absence of material comforts.

the extreme poverty of the slum dwellers

indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances.

the indigence of her years as a graduate student

penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money.

a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury

want and destitution imply extreme poverty that threatens life itself through starvation or exposure.

lived in a perpetual state of want
the widespread destitution in countries beset by famine

Examples of poverty in a Sentence

He was born in poverty. There is a poverty of information about the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web The trial is a spotlight on the woes of a country plagued by corruption, poverty and lawlessness. Wesley Parnell, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 People eligible for debt relief include those with an income up to 400% of the federal poverty level or who owe medical bills equal to 5% or more of their annual income, Smedsrud said. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 4 Mar. 2024 Taylor Wilson: Deborah, how does the issue of poverty factor in here? Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Nearly 40 percent of the country lives in poverty, close to 14 percent in what is classified as extreme. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 Nearly 40% of families in this district live below the poverty level. Raymond Pierce, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Though it was previously believed this practice was followed by people in poverty out of necessity — by reusing household wares to bury the dead — more recent developments understand the practice as linked to rituals of rebirth. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The abject poverty and debt faced by many of India’s farmers has forced some to take extreme measures. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 Schools in low-income areas tend to see bigger dips Schools with a high proportion of students living at or near poverty — as measured by the proportion of students on free or reduced lunch — often saw larger declines in test scores than schools in wealthier areas. Phillip Reese, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'poverty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English poverte, from Anglo-French poverté, from Latin paupertat-, paupertas, from pauper poor — more at poor

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near poverty

Cite this Entry

“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

poverty

noun
pov·​er·​ty ˈpäv-ərt-ē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
1
: the state of being poor : lack of money or possessions : want
2
: a small supply : dearth
a poverty of information about the new disease
3
: lack of fertility
poverty of the soil

Medical Definition

poverty

noun
pov·​er·​ty ˈpäv-ərt-ē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
plural poverties
: debility due to malnutrition
evidence of poverty in calves

More from Merriam-Webster on poverty

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