poverty line

NOUN

poverty level

Synonyms

WEAK

bare existence breadline hand-to-mouth existence mere existence pauperism poverty trap subsistence level

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Even before a years-long economic crisis began in Lebanon in 2019, more than half of the city's residents lived at or below the poverty line, according to the United Nations.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

The United Nations says 90% of Syrians live below the poverty line.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2026

Many of the families live or work in or near the Vermont Vista neighborhood, where more than a quarter of residents live below the poverty line, according to 2023 census data.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

The second store, going up in a section of Southwest Atlanta where roughly a quarter of residents live below the poverty line, could be more of a challenge.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 25, 2025

Having stumbled upon a tolerable career, for the first time in my life I was actually living above the poverty line.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer