Synonyms of needy

needy

adjective

ˈnē-dē 

as in impoverished

lacking money or material possessions

those generous souls who regularly give money and donate clothes to help the needy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impoverished
• poor
• broke
• indigent
• destitute
• needful
• impecunious
• beggared
• deprived
• necessitous
• famished
• bankrupt
• penniless
• down-and-out
• penurious
• poverty-stricken
• dirt-poor
• depressed
• pauperized
• beggarly
• disadvantaged
• hard up
• underprivileged
• out of pocket
• bankrupted
• threadbare
• out at elbows
• skint
• distressed
• dispossessed
• down on one's luck
• ruined
• unaffluent
• insolvent
• bust
• pinched
• reduced
• cash-strapped
• short
• straitened
• poorish
• possessionless
• hardscrabble
• hand-to-mouth
• low
• tapped out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wealthy
• rich
• affluent
• well-to-do
• moneyed
• fat
• opulent
• flush
• well-off
• comfortable
• prosperous
• well-heeled
• fat-cat
• deep-pocketed
• silk-stocking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of needy

Without question, Boutte is a good get for a receiver-needy team. — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Means testing would also target funds to needy families that struggle to matriculate to higher or professional education. — John Ketcham, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026

Howl’s needy nature led to one of Ly’s favorite videos, another captured in the spur of the moment during a hectic packing session. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 29 July 2026

Landlords argue the system is flawed and should target those truly in need, while advocates contend it's designed to ensure affordability for a wider range of city residents, not just the most needy. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026