: people who have little money and few possessions : poor people
—usually used in the phrase the haves and the have-nots
the gap between the haves and the have-nots
: people who have a lot of money and possessions : wealthy people
—usually used in the phrase the haves and the have-nots
the gap between the haves and the have-nots
Examples of the have-nots in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Katie McInerney, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Mar. 2023
Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The Hamptons remain starkly divided between the haves and the have-nots, and Ruiz is addressing both.
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the have-nots
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Plural noun
The money from these contracts goes back to the schools in the conferences, and can contribute to a growing gap between the haves and the have-nots.
—Katie McInerney, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Mar. 2023
Plural noun
Inequality is cleaving the haves and the have-nots.
—Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The Hamptons remain starkly divided between the haves and the have-nots, and Ruiz is addressing both.
—Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for the have-nots
Cite this Entry
“The have-nots.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20have-nots. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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