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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Why are more seniors falling into poverty?—Medora Lee, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025 The incredible work Himmah does to address food insecurity, poverty, and social exclusion should be recognised and applauded.—Simon Perry, People.com, 9 Sep. 2025 After the federal No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2001 and schools in some high-poverty areas did not perform well on annual standardized tests, many were labeled failing and in need of drastic reforms.—Mila Koumpilova, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2025 Census also tracks what’s known as the supplemental poverty measure, which includes non-cash benefits such as food aid.—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 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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