POVERTY Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

poverty

noun

ˈpä-vər-tē

Definition of poverty next

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

Examples 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 According to the Child Poverty Action Group, a U.K. charity group dedicated to preventing child poverty, child hunger and food insecurity worsens during school breaks, with 900,000 school-age children in England living in poverty missing out on free school meals. —

Violet Goldstone, WWD, 18 Nov. 2024 This year, Brazil has likewise prioritized MDB reform and other issues important to the global South, such as sustainable development, poverty, hunger, inequality, and reforms in global governance institutions, including at the United Nations. —

Leslie Vinjamuri, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2024 By this stage, the Cambridge capital controversy was winding down—with both sides claiming victory—but economics was still riled by contentious debates over issues like inflation, labor unions, and poverty in the developing world. —

John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024 Raised in poverty, Jones would often recall being forced to catch, cook and eat rodents, or go hungry. —

Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for poverty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty

Noun

Demagogues began to blame the labor competition posed by increasing numbers of Chinese immigrants for the miseries of white joblessness and meager pay.

Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 26 Nov. 2024
Rubio has apportioned the blame for the recent misery in the region to Iran's leadership.

Billal Rahman, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024