the poverty line
noun
: the level of income that makes it possible for a person to pay for basic food, clothing, and shelter
families living below/at the poverty line
Examples of the poverty line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If a family is still stuck below the poverty line, the system has failed them.
—
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Zambians, whose government defaulted on sovereign debt in 2020, are facing a similar challenge, with more than six in 10 residents living below the poverty line.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Why, as a former mayor of Tehran, demanded in his newspaper last week, do 40 million Iranians live below the poverty line while the state operates mega charitable foundations with billion-dollar budgets ostensibly to help the poor?
—Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The majority are in households that have incomes below the poverty line, which is about $33,000 for a family of four.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
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Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Zambians, whose government defaulted on sovereign debt in 2020, are facing a similar challenge, with more than six in 10 residents living below the poverty line.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Why, as a former mayor of Tehran, demanded in his newspaper last week, do 40 million Iranians live below the poverty line while the state operates mega charitable foundations with billion-dollar budgets ostensibly to help the poor?
—Azadeh Moaveni, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
The majority are in households that have incomes below the poverty line, which is about $33,000 for a family of four.
—Geoff Mulvihill, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the poverty line
Cite this Entry
“The poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20poverty%20line. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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