indigent
adjective
in·di·gent
ˈin-di-jənt 
1
: suffering from extreme poverty : impoverished
2
a
archaic
: deficient
b
archaic
: totally lacking in something specified
indigent
noun
Synonyms
Examples of indigent in a Sentence
… every day, I fled the house and drove aimlessly over mountain roads that passed by indigent farms and strange, unpainted churches.
—
Mark Singer, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2000 & 1 Jan. 2001
A land post was offered him in November, 1765, as Governor of Greenwich Hospital, a shelter for disabled and indigent seamen and a place affording many openings for jobbery (the contemporary term for bureaucratic graft).
—Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, 1988
He went around climbing dark stairs and knocking on doors and taking flash photos of indigent families in their dwellings.
—E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975
Because he was indigent, the court appointed a lawyer to defend him.
The clinic provides free care for indigent patients.
Mark Singer, New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2000 & 1 Jan. 2001
A land post was offered him in November, 1765, as Governor of Greenwich Hospital, a shelter for disabled and indigent seamen and a place affording many openings for jobbery (the contemporary term for bureaucratic graft).
—Barbara W. Tuchman, The First Salute, 1988
He went around climbing dark stairs and knocking on doors and taking flash photos of indigent families in their dwellings.
—E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, (1974) 1975
Because he was indigent, the court appointed a lawyer to defend him.
The clinic provides free care for indigent patients.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lori Vallow Daybell is represented by the Office of the Legal Defender, which serves indigent Maricopa County defendants.
—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024
The law at issue, known as EMTALA, was enacted in 1986 largely to prevent hospitals from turning away uninsured and indigent patients, particularly women in labor.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 27 June 2024
Johnson has run through a series of attorneys, represented himself, and then was appointed a public defender until Clymer determined in court that Johnson was not indigent and therefore didn’t qualify for one.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
The increase also applies to disabled and largely indigent retirees receiving SSI or Supplemental Security Income.
—Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for indigent 
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.
Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024
The law at issue, known as EMTALA, was enacted in 1986 largely to prevent hospitals from turning away uninsured and indigent patients, particularly women in labor.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 27 June 2024
Johnson has run through a series of attorneys, represented himself, and then was appointed a public defender until Clymer determined in court that Johnson was not indigent and therefore didn’t qualify for one.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2024
The increase also applies to disabled and largely indigent retirees receiving SSI or Supplemental Security Income.
—Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for indigent
Dictionary Entries Near indigent
Cite this Entry
“Indigent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indigent. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indigent
adjective
in·di·gent
ˈin-di-jənt
Legal Definition
indigent
adjective
in·di·gent
ˈin-də-jənt
: suffering from indigence
the indigent defendant was provided with counsel
indigent
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share