as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
the dictator and his inner circle lived in unconscionable luxury while the beggarly masses eked out a pitiful existence
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Recent Examples of beggarly
The aerial railway carried its last rider in 1937, and the fare was a beggarly two Depression-era dollars.
—
Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2021
Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beggarly
Adjective
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The film, which world premiered in the Berlinale’s Perspectives sidebar, follows an impoverished but determined family put to test when the father, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is accused of murder.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
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Sanctions have crippled the government’s primary source of revenue, oil exports, limiting the state’s ability to provide for millions of impoverished Iranians through social safety nets.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s another element of the current concern regarding due process that relates to the fate of poor Cinna.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Oct. 2025
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McDaniel’s debut album Lost Ones delves into his own story of growing up in a poor community in Kentucky, and dealing with mental health struggles, both personally and within his family — as well as McDaniel’s story of being saved during a past suicide attempt years ago.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Margaret Qualley, as the former A-lister's younger self, also goes for broke in a film that's a disturbing, hilarious and jaw-dropping hoot.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Businesses go broke, financial institutions fail and economic activity shrivels.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Beggarly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beggarly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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