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.
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Mass protests in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines in recent years have also rocked South and Southeast Asia as young people fight against poverty and corruption.—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 14 Oct. 2025 Tedesco's dad worked hard to get out of poverty and she and her husband, through their own careers, eventually achieved a comfortable life.—Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025 The demonstrators have brought up a range of issues, including poverty and the cost of living, access to tertiary education, and alleged corruption and embezzlement of public funds by government officials, as well as their families and associates.—NPR, 13 Oct. 2025 Without it, there are no safeguards against discrimination and no funding for our most vulnerable students (disabled and those living in poverty).—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poverty
Word History
Etymology
Middle English poverte, from Anglo-French poverté, from Latin paupertat-, paupertas, from pauper poor — more at poor
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