poverty

noun

pov·​er·​ty ˈpä-vər-tē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
Synonyms of poverty
often attributive
1
a
: the state of one who lacks a sufficient amount of money or material possessions : the state of being poor
specifically : the state of one whose income is below the poverty line
living in poverty
b
: renunciation as a member of a religious order of the right as an individual to own property
2
: scarcity, dearth
a poverty of information about the disease
a poverty of imagination
3
a
: debility due to malnutrition
b
: lack of fertility

Synonyms of poverty

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poverty, indigence, penury, want, destitution 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

indigence implies seriously straitened circumstances.

the indigence of her years as a graduate student

penury suggests a cramping or oppressive lack of money.

a catastrophic illness that condemned them to years of penury

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 of poverty in a Sentence

He was born in poverty. There is a poverty of information about the disease.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Some people wore the damage of physical or mental disease, addiction, poverty, or all of the above. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 Some came from families riven by poverty and domestic violence. — Mica Rosenberg, ProPublica, 6 July 2026 The movie about Niki, a mother with two children and two jobs, but no money, explores such themes as poverty and social inequality. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 Opponents, however, see the measure as overly reliant on standardized testing that doesn’t account for complicating factors like poverty, class size and access to resources. — Jack Harvel july 2, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for poverty

Word History

Etymology

Middle English poverte, from Anglo-French poverté, from Latin paupertat-, paupertas, from pauper poor — more at poor

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing poverty

Rhymes for poverty

See All Rhymes for poverty

Browse Nearby Words

poverish
poverty
poverty grass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

poverty

noun
pov·​er·​ty ˈpäv-ərt-ē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
1
: the state of being poor : lack of money or possessions : want
2
: a small supply : dearth
a poverty of information about the new disease
3
: lack of fertility
poverty of the soil

Medical Definition

poverty

noun
pov·​er·​ty ˈpäv-ərt-ē How to pronounce poverty (audio)
plural poverties
: debility due to malnutrition
evidence of poverty in calves

More from Merriam-Webster on poverty

Nglish: Translation of poverty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about poverty

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