1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
many families were left destitute by the horrible fire
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
a lingering drought and a sky destitute of rain clouds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
the appalling destituteness of the people in that underdeveloped country
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destitute
Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
After years of war and revolution, Nicaragua was destitute; there was no money for street signs.
—Tim Golden, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025
That was, until big-hearted border officers took in these destitute immigrants, who found new lives in America as Selma and Lieu, Petunia and Peanut, Cupid, Penelope, Selena and Floyd.
—Lauren Villagran, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Jan. 2025
America will be destitute without us.
—Katie Smith, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Adjective
So there's a real tug-of-war between being grateful, and feeling destitute and rudderless.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
After years of war and revolution, Nicaragua was destitute; there was no money for street signs.
—Tim Golden, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025
That was, until big-hearted border officers took in these destitute immigrants, who found new lives in America as Selma and Lieu, Petunia and Peanut, Cupid, Penelope, Selena and Floyd.
—Lauren Villagran, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Jan. 2025
America will be destitute without us.
—Katie Smith, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitute
Adjective
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Pope Francis was the first pope to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi, well-known for his call for engagement with the impoverished, love of creation and the Church.—
Gabriele Regalbuto,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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The dedication to care for impoverished women and children continues to influence the culture and values of Mercy today.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
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Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
Noun
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The prosperous timber industry, having stripped the region of its eastern white pine, was in retreat, leaving poverty in its wake.—
Charles Arrowsmith,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
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Warren harvested greens, potatoes and watermelons as part of an effort to address food insecurity and health concerns in a neighborhood challenged by blight, crime and poverty.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Consumer spending softened, increasing 1.8%, down from a 4% rise in the fourth quarter, but a decent performance in light of stock market turmoil and poor weather early in the quarter.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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These factors could contribute material risk to Nike’s earnings and put the company in a poor position to manage near-term headwinds.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy described addiction as both a source of misery and a symptom of deeper pain, drawing from his own experience of trying to fill an emotional void with drugs.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
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Now, though, The Last of Us is as blinded as Ellie is by misery.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The match-up broke ratings records, with nearly 128 million viewers tuning in, according to Nielsen.—
Judy Kurtz,
The Hill,
26 Mar. 2025
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Fake Wedding follows two broke singles who throw a fake wedding to cash in on the registry and the very real problems the make-believe couple encounters.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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One of the key messages in his book is the necessity for leadership to take an active role in cybersecurity governance.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Last season, out of necessity, Guhle played on the right side a lot, oftentimes with Matheson, so there would be some familiarity there.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitute. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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