poverty

noun

pov·​er·​ty ˈpä-vər-tē 

often attributive

1

a

: the state of one who lacks a sufficient amount of money or material possessions : the state of being poor

specifically : the state of one whose income is below the poverty line

living in poverty

b

: renunciation as a member of a religious order of the right as an individual to own property

2

: scarcity, dearth

a poverty of information about the disease

a poverty of imagination

3

a

: debility due to malnutrition

b

: lack of fertility

Synonyms of poverty

• misery
• necessity
• destitution
• deprivation
• impoverishment
• penury
• pauperism
• indigence
• beggary
• need

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 location pushed the seminary’s politics to the left, but poverty and activist flags are harder to find in Chelsea these days. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026

No American songwriter ever wrote about poverty so bluntly, with so much detail. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

But Kevin Taglang, an executive editor with the nonprofit Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, wrote that high-poverty districts receiving the largest discounts serve more than 16 million students. — Linda Jacobson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

California is among the most expensive states to live in, with many people at or below the poverty level. — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing poverty

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

Rhymes for poverty

• antipoverty

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