1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
many families were left destitute by the horrible fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
While talks fell apart back in the day, coming away from a global pandemic can serve as an inspiration for a director and scribe whose previous work on the subject seemed prescience for a year when 2020 was destitute and shut down.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 June 2025
In fact, the words were taken from a description of the central character of Les Misérables, destitute following his conviction for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children.
—Graham Robb, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
But seeking permission to enter the U.S. legally is often a lengthy, complicated and expensive process, and poor and destitute individuals without any family or employers in the U.S. generally don't qualify for a visa.
—May 5, CBS News, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Adjective
The rising middle-class population change is expected to account for over 75% of expenditure growth, opening new market opportunities and lifting millions out of poverty, decreasing the percentage of destitute households from 15% today to just 6% by 2031.
—Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
While talks fell apart back in the day, coming away from a global pandemic can serve as an inspiration for a director and scribe whose previous work on the subject seemed prescience for a year when 2020 was destitute and shut down.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 18 June 2025
In fact, the words were taken from a description of the central character of Les Misérables, destitute following his conviction for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children.
—Graham Robb, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025
But seeking permission to enter the U.S. legally is often a lengthy, complicated and expensive process, and poor and destitute individuals without any family or employers in the U.S. generally don't qualify for a visa.
—May 5, CBS News, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitute
Adjective
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Shooting scenes in wide or medium shots that sometimes break into Hsiao-Lee’s harrowing point-of-view, cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin depicts a world without much color or hope, while sets by Huang Mei-Ching and Tu Shuo-Feng emphasize a sad and impoverished existence.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
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Each serves a high rate of students from impoverished households, and families within the schools' boundaries can choose to attend those schools or receive a bus to a second school option based on their address.—
Krista Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
-
That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
For 25 years, Chavism has co-opted Venezuela's infrastructure for its own enrichment, persecuting journalists and opposition, wrecking the economy, and leaving its citizens in poverty.—
Kristina Foltz,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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Droughts, floods, and volatile weather patterns erode livelihoods, disrupt supply chains, and undermine markets, especially in countries already struggling with poverty and instability.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But prorating three years of player profits down to 12 months, as UEFA’s rule does, reduces the immediate efficacy of successful trading in the market, the very strategy that poorer clubs increasingly rely on to climb the ladder.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Like most extended car warranty providers, CarShield excludes pre-existing conditions that existed before your warranty took effect, as well as damage resulting from poor maintenance, neglect or intentional abuse.—
Brian Sloan,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Befriended by the aged proprietor of a now defunct Greek coast restaurant, the hen becomes an unwitting witness of human misery – greed, migrant trafficking, revenge upon revenge.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
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Task begins by setting up the parallels between Tom and Robbie, two flawed men trying to keep their heads above the water of their own miseries, cutting back and forth between their routines to emphasize their similar ideologies and spontaneities.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it As one social media user said, bullying works.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
She had been laid off from her job at Whole Foods in July 2005 and was practically broke when Katrina hit.—
Curtis Bunn,
NBC news,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Then, sunscreen is an everyday necessity.—
Khanh T.L. Tran,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
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Spending grew faster than incomes, eating into savings, and much of it came from necessities rather than luxuries.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitute. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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