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
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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
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Recent Examples of poverty
Without it, there are no safeguards against discrimination and no funding for our most vulnerable students (disabled and those living in poverty).
—
Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Oct. 2025
His father took them to Las Vegas, intending not just to break the cycle of poverty but for the family to assimilate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Oct. 2025
Parents qualify only if their income is below 22% of the federal poverty level, or $5,863 for a family of three this year.
—Phil Galewitz, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
Americans who earn more than 400 percent of the poverty level, around $63,000 for a single person in most states or $129,000 for a family of four, make up a much smaller share of the market, around 7 percent.
—Elena Shao, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Oct. 2025
His father took them to Las Vegas, intending not just to break the cycle of poverty but for the family to assimilate.
—Idaho Statesman, 13 Oct. 2025
Parents qualify only if their income is below 22% of the federal poverty level, or $5,863 for a family of three this year.
—Phil Galewitz, USA Today, 12 Oct. 2025
Americans who earn more than 400 percent of the poverty level, around $63,000 for a single person in most states or $129,000 for a family of four, make up a much smaller share of the market, around 7 percent.
—Elena Shao, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
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While most of us on the plane were in this same unexpected predicament, a passenger nearby didn't seem to be sharing in our misery thanks to a compact gadget propped up their phone to the perfect viewing height.—
Anita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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His matchup against Minnesota could add to the misery.—
Brad Evans,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Recovering and processing that gas, instead of wasting it, could ease Iraq's chronic power shortages.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Gaza needs to be rebuilt from the ground up, even as necessities like food remain a critical challenge.—
Kara Fox,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, despite the trillions of federal dollars that were committed or spent to boost local economies, voters blamed Biden and Harris for high inflation that raised the cost living as food, housing, healthcare and other necessities got more expensive.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Other issues brought up at the meeting included ongoing construction, public safety and a lack of sufficient workforce housing.—
Mars King,
Twin Cities,
17 Oct. 2025
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D’Alleva Valas said the biggest barrier for women, though, isn’t a lack of knowledge.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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All that remains of the American Dream is the thin line between wealth and destitution.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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If social media is any indication, lean bulking still commonly involves extreme dieting, which can lead to nutrition deficiencies, hormonal changes, eating disorders, and loss of muscle and bone density.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
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Use folic acid for general supplementation, pregnancy, or to prevent deficiency—unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise.—
Trang Tran,
Verywell Health,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Def Leppard is, at its core, a brotherhood of working-class kids from the British Isles, raised by parents who lived through the deprivations of World War II.—
Todd Longwell,
Variety,
9 Oct. 2025
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Deafblind youths need specific skills early in life — learning how to use American Sign Language and assistive technology, for example — to prevent language deprivation.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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How to Watch Pittsburgh Penguins at Anaheim Ducks Anaheim came back from a two-goal deficit in the third period for its first victory of the season on Saturday night when Leo Carlsson scored 46 seconds into overtime to give the Ducks a 7-6 road win over the San Jose Sharks.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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Milwaukee cut the deficit in half with a run off rookie Roki Sasaki and had the bases loaded before Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang to clinch the win for the Dodgers.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poverty. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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