Synonym Chooser

How is the word poverty distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of poverty are destitution, indigence, penury, and want. While all these words mean "the state of one with insufficient resources," poverty may cover a range from extreme want of necessities to an absence of material comforts.

the extreme poverty of the slum dwellers

Where would indigence be a reasonable alternative to poverty?

Although the words indigence and poverty have much in common, indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances.

the indigence of her years as a graduate student

When would penury be a good substitute for poverty?

The words penury and poverty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money.

a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury

How do want and destitution relate to one another, in the sense of poverty?

Both want and destitution imply extreme poverty that threatens life itself through starvation or exposure.

lived in a perpetual state of want
the widespread destitution in countries beset by famine

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of poverty Delivering Good, the nonprofit that provides people impacted by poverty and tragedy with new merchandise donated by retailers and manufacturers, celebrated 40 years Tuesday at a gala event at Gotham Hall. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2025 With 50 percent-plus of Detroit kids in poverty, this timing matters. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025 This year’s gala celebrates 14 years of Baby2Baby’s work to provide over half a billion critical items — including diapers, formula and clothing — to children living in poverty across the country. Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2025 Heflin, an expert in older adult poverty, said low-income families are already budgeted to the limit. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
  • Springsteen grew up alongside rock’n’roll, absorbing its origin story and waiting for the day when his ability to write a killer riff would transport him from the misery of living with a father who didn’t understand him, shut off from a world that promised so much but gave so little.
    Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Whether the Monster is part of Ana’s imagination or not, the scene carries a fragile, haunting power, suggesting that the only person capable of rescuing Ana from the pervasive mystery and misery of her home life belongs to the supernatural, outside the punishing borders of Franco’s Spain.
    Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • When staffing shortages occur, the FAA will reduce the flow of air traffic to maintain safety.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Flights are being delayed and cancelled across the country because of airport staffing shortages.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • There is a necessity of bearing witness to our times, but there’s something dangerous about jumping on top of the most urgent thing and having that be the work.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Bedding essentials like cooling mattresses, breathable sheets, and gel pillows are all necessities anytime of year to ensure a sweat-free sleep.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • But the lack of a concrete, overarching deal is still a problem.
    Kerry Brown, Time, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Fiery press conferences, frustration over a lack of signings, and a glum touchline demeanour paint a worrying picture.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Strip had been reduced to a landscape of destitution and ruin.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2025
  • In late August, the World Health Organization cited a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis that found more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • However, specific groups may be particularly vulnerable to deficiency, and the consequences can be significant.
    Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
  • That has allowed the Dodgers to hide their deficiencies in the bullpen – and ask less of their offense.
    Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Carskadon says all of this contributes to pervasive sleep deprivation.
    NPR, NPR, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Facility one-upsmanship, all in the name of attracting better recruits, led to practice facilities with mini-golf courses (Clemson), marble showers in the locker room (Oregon) and sensory deprivation tanks (Georgia).
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Calculated under standard assumptions, this revenue would cover about two-thirds of the primary deficit impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) over the next five years—more if temporary OBBBA provisions expire on schedule.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Freeman and the Dodgers won Saturday's Game 7 in extra innings, coming back from a 3-2 series deficit by winning two straight road games in Toronto.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poverty. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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