poorish

adjective

Definition of poorishnext
as in hardscrabble

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poorish
  1. hardscrabble
  2. distressed
  3. depressed
  4. reduced
  5. hand-to-mouth
  6. ruined
Adjective
  • These songs were less detailed than the ballads but conveyed intense emotion gleaned from an often hardscrabble existence.
    — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • In this new collection, Georgia poet laureate Chelsea Rathburn explores a hardscrabble childhood in Florida and her family of colorful characters including a sometimes-homeless bag lady and a notorious bank robber.
    — Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 21 June 2026
Definition of hardscrabble
Adjective
  • Authorized by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Opportunity Zones are economically distressed communities nominated by states and certified by the Treasury Department.
    — Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 26 July 2026
  • News that the exam results had been voided distressed many of the test-takers.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 25 July 2026
Definition of distressed
Adjective
  • The rest were overseas — many of them belonging to impoverished locals living in conflict zones or economically depressed regions where other employment options are scarce.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • The adviser told me that, even without drastically expanding the budget or upending the financial markets, Burnham could borrow a bit more to finance public-infrastructure investments and channel money to depressed regions.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Snack manufacturers and alcohol producers are facing the prospect of reduced appetites.
    — Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
  • While some project significant costs, others foresee billions in Medicare savings from reduced hospitalizations.
    — Sally Pipes, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of reduced
Adjective
  • Drop Shots 💰 How match-fixers prey on tennis players living a hand-to-mouth existence lower down the sport’s rankings.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 4 June 2026
  • Behavioral habits, including hand-to-mouth motion, inhalation and smoking rituals may also contribute to why quitting is difficult for many smokers.
    — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of hand-to-mouth
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

poor
poorish
poorly
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Cite this Entry

“Poorish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorish. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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