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poverty

[pov-er-tee] / ˈpɒv ər ti /


Usage

What are other ways to say poverty? Poverty denotes serious lack of the means for proper existence: living in a state of extreme poverty. Destitution, a somewhat more literary word, implies a state of having absolutely none of the necessities of life: widespread destitution in countries at war. Indigence denotes a severely impoverished condition marked by hardship and the lack of any of life’s comforts: reduced to a life of indigence.

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.

A refundable child tax credit, which proved to cut child poverty rates in half during the pandemic, would be an even stronger approach to stabilizing the lowest income families.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

The institute works with governments and private entities to fight poverty and improve health and education.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

Grandparent-headed households living below the poverty line total 17%, compared to 11% of older adults living without young relatives, according to the U.S.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

She discussed his views on global poverty and credited Epstein with her decision to attend medical school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

As he returned to the States, Farmer considered his year in Haiti, where he had met a beautiful and fascinating young woman and learned numerous lessons about poverty, culture, and religion, a success.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French




Vocabulary lists containing poverty


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