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 In Montenegro, child poverty was an entrenched problem, with poverty rates remaining above 30 percent since records began in 2013. Your Impact With Unicef Contributor, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 But Francis, who had taken a vow of poverty as a Jesuit priest, typically shunned the trappings of papal luxury. Aryn Baker, Time, 26 Apr. 2025 California had the highest poverty rate of any U.S. state last year, CalMatters reported. Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025 In the time of the Counter-Reformation, Caravaggio favored a painting of poverty and plainness. Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
  • Kennedy described addiction as both a source of misery and a symptom of deeper pain, drawing from his own experience of trying to fill an emotional void with drugs.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Now, though, The Last of Us is as blinded as Ellie is by misery.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • What these Deals Tell Us About Investor Demand The first quarter transactions in Brooklyn and Manhattan signal robust investor confidence in free market multifamily, driven by the appeal of assets with minimal regulatory constraints and the city's persistent housing shortage.
    Shimon Shkury, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Earlier this month, analysts at BTIG said tariffs could make dining operators like Texas Roadhouse vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and product shortages.
    Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • One of the key messages in his book is the necessity for leadership to take an active role in cybersecurity governance.
    William Jones, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • Last season, out of necessity, Guhle played on the right side a lot, oftentimes with Matheson, so there would be some familiarity there.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The lack of border security created real problems for Americans, including crimes such as human trafficking and drug smuggling.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • Thousands of people become trapped in their homes, buildings, and businesses, further isolated by the lack of communication.
    Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 1 May 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Between 1820 and 1845, the number of weavers plummeted from two hundred and forty thousand to sixty thousand, as many faced destitution.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, there are differences in risk factors and potential vitamin deficiencies.
    Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Sleep deficiency can increase the risk of chronic health conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Reasons for chronically low energy can be related to lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, stress, or sleep deprivation.
    Cathy Nelson, Verywell Health, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Studies show that sleep deprivation leads to brain stress, cloudy thinking and decision fatigue, plus fragmented sleep signals a vulnerability to social stress.
    Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But Republicans, backed by Majority Leader Thune, are already looking to bypass that rule--and the parliamentarian--in order to use a favorable analysis for the deficit impact of the tax cuts.
    Susan Davis, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025
  • In the Championship, London City Lionesses’ £2.5m deficit was the largest loss; at the other end of the scale, Durham turned a profit, albeit only £38,000.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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