poverty line

noun

: a level of personal or family income below which one is classified as poor according to governmental standards

called also poverty level

Examples of poverty line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An analysis of 2019 Census data by the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute revealed that 26 percent of households with unauthorized immigrants had incomes below the federal poverty line. Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 Residents in census tracts where more than 30% of families lived below the federal poverty line had a fentanyl overdose death rate nearly four times that of those in more affluent areas. Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025 Here, 1 in 8 people live below the federal poverty line. Katheryn Houghton, NPR, 26 May 2025 This real-value erosion means the federal poverty line has overtaken the garnishment floor. Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for poverty line

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty line was in 1901

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Cite this Entry

“Poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty%20line. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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