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
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.
Children who had survived starvation ultimately completed fewer years of education, had a lower chance of attending college, and were twenty per cent more likely to fall below the poverty line. Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025 Away from the bustling tourist centers, a large proportion of the population lives below the poverty line. Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025 This group includes many people close to the poverty line in states that didn’t expand their Medicaid program. Margot Sanger-Katz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 The ad also invokes legislation supported by Earle-Sears that would have created a tax credit toward homeschooling or sending children to a private school for families making 200 percent under the poverty line. Julia Manchester, The Hill, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the poverty line

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20poverty%20line. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!