1
as in misery
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
he dreamed of finding a good job and working his way out of poverty and debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a poverty of information about the new policies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
In most states, the definition of child neglect closely mirrors poverty: a failure to provide basic needs, such as food, clothing, shelter and medical care.
—
Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
The program sends behavioral health specialists to emergency calls to prevent legal involvement when someone is experiencing distress related to mental health, poverty, homelessness or substance use.
—Katherine Lemasters, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
At the same time, housing costs are soaring and poverty is on the rise, especially for children.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
The way Song phrases their breakup is insightful: Hating his poverty makes Lucy hate herself.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
The program sends behavioral health specialists to emergency calls to prevent legal involvement when someone is experiencing distress related to mental health, poverty, homelessness or substance use.
—Katherine Lemasters, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
At the same time, housing costs are soaring and poverty is on the rise, especially for children.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2025
The way Song phrases their breakup is insightful: Hating his poverty makes Lucy hate herself.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
-
Humidity is adding to the misery Oppressive humidity is accompanying the heat wave, according to Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
25 June 2025
-
Cuomo, age 67 and one of the last powerful men to succumb to the #MeToo movement, is an unlikely standard-bearer for a Democratic Party desperate to move on from the miseries of the past decade, but New York politics isn’t famous for its uncomplicated options.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
There is a growing shortage of drivers, rising costs, and relentless demand for faster deliveries.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 June 2025
-
To address the critical worker shortage, Massachusetts must prioritize benefits and training and improve pay for DSPs.—
Brian Cusack,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Yet in America, where workplace culture has often prized productivity over personal well-being, even suggesting a transition period can feel like asking for too much, rather than advocating for a necessity.—
Justine Sterling Converse,
Time,
16 June 2025
-
Trump sees this as both an economic and national security necessity, seeking to repatriate key supply chains home from global rivals and hostile nations, and to rebuild an American manufacturing base that can provide high-paying jobs.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
The lack of optimism stems from a losing streak and ongoing drama between the team's new head coach and a star player.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
18 June 2025
-
Last season, Al Hilal’s attack mustered 95 goals even as the team finished second, eight points behind Al Ittihad, but Asian Champions League glory has eluded them since 2021, casting a harsher light on their lack of elite individual quality.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
That means at least one in five people or households severely lack food and face starvation and destitution.—
Edith M. Lederer,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
-
The latest estimates, as of August 2021, put the value of Russia’s National Wealth Fund at about $185 billion and its foreign currency reserves at $615 billion—hardly a picture of destitution.—
Michael Kofman,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Oct. 2021
Noun
-
Grassley cited a Government Accountability Office report issued last year that detailed deficiencies in the program’s management dating back to 2009.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
-
Studies show that patients not meeting the diagnostic criteria for testosterone deficiency are still being prescribed testosterone therapy, often based on vague symptoms.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
According to one 2019 study published in the journal Sleep, moms and dads can expect to experience some form of sleep deprivation for the first six years of their child's life.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
-
The animals’ skulls are later surgically opened, electrodes are implanted into their brains, and researchers show them visual stimuli (images of faces, for example) to examine how the sensory deprivation or other visual manipulations affected their neurodevelopment.—
Marina Bolotnikova,
Vox,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
The bank said its research showed that a gold deficit should peak in the third quarter of this year and the market should fundamentally weaken after that, driven by lower investment demand.—
Tim Treadgold,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
With Haliburton significantly limited by a right hamstring injury suffered in the first half, his teammates elevated to make up for his deficit.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poverty. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share