ˈdɛstəˌtuːt 
British ˈdɛstəˌtjuːt
1
: extremely poor
His business failures left him destitute.
2
formal + literary
: without something that is needed or wanted
—+ of
a lake destitute of fish
a man destitute of wisdom
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/destitute. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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