poverty

noun

pov·​er·​ty ˈpä-vər-tē 

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

: scarcity, dearth

3

a

: debility due to malnutrition

b

: lack of fertility

Synonyms

• beggary
• destituteness
• destitution
• impecuniosity
• impecuniousness
• impoverishment
• indigence
• necessity
• need
• neediness
• pauperism
• penuriousness
• penury
• poorness
• want

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

This has led to a devastating effect on social programs serving the entire population, but especially those living in poverty, women and children. —Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023

Jeezy – as the Grammy-winning hip-hop artist is now known – grew up in Georgia in a neighborhood where poverty grips you by the throat and can sometimes strangle the humanity out of you. —Sara Sidner, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023

The new challenges are very complicated, and people are afraid of them: climate changes, gender changes, technological changes, demographic changes, poverty. —Vulture, 8 Sep. 2023

The focus is on health, education, protection, poverty, advocacy, and emergency response. —Sari Hitchins, Parents, 8 Sep. 2023

Maybe profits and share buybacks played a teensy little role in its cable TV prices. Disney, which has been pleading poverty lately, also has done pretty well. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2023

Taking place in New York City’s Central Park on Sept. 23, the Global Citizen Festival is a free, ticketed event that will be broadcast live and is driving urgent action to end extreme poverty by calling on world leaders to address the issue along with climate crisis and equity for women and girls. —Thania Garcia, Variety, 6 Sep. 2023

Already, many of Mongolia’s herders, who comprised about a third of the population of 3.3 million, have abandoned their traditional livelihoods to settle around Mongolia’s capital, stressing social services in a country where already nearly 1 in 3 people live in poverty. —The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Aug. 2023

Proceeds of the Petal Pop Stroller Wagons will give back to Baby2Baby, a national non-profit organization that provides basic essentials to children living in poverty. —Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023

See More

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

Phrases Containing poverty

• the poverty line
• poverty trap
• poverty line
• poverty-stricken
• anti-poverty

• the poverty line
• poverty trap
• poverty line
• poverty-stricken
• anti-poverty

Kids Definition

poverty

noun

pov·​er·​ty ˈpäv-ərt-ē 

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 

plural poverties

: debility due to malnutrition

evidence of poverty in calves