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
That comes as nearly half of older American workers are approaching retirement without enough savings to maintain their standard of living—or in some cases, to stay above the poverty line.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
Households at or below 130% of the poverty line generally qualify for assistance, with a large number of recipients being elderly, disabled or children.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Most have incomes below the poverty line, which is about $32,000 for a family of four.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Most have incomes below the poverty line, about $32,000 for a family of four, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the poverty line
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Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
Households at or below 130% of the poverty line generally qualify for assistance, with a large number of recipients being elderly, disabled or children.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
Most have incomes below the poverty line, which is about $32,000 for a family of four.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Most have incomes below the poverty line, about $32,000 for a family of four, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2025
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 19 Nov. 2025.
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