1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
every year, we make up a basket of food at Thanksgiving for a poor family in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
land that is too poor for farming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
a poor crop because of the drought this year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a pretty poor musician, even for a garage band
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in terrible
of low quality
the poor workmanship of the goods from that store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
aw, the poor kitten hurt its paw
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
poor quality
a poor judgment
an unwise judgment
a lousy judgment
a questionable judgment
a horrible judgment
an improper judgment
a poor performance
a weak performance
an unacceptable performance
a negative performance
an inadequate performance
a horrendous performance
a poor condition
a deteriorated condition
a shabby condition
a sub-par condition
a shoddy condition
a pitiful condition
poor nutrition
unbalanced nutrition
improper nutrition
deficient nutrition
unhealthy nutrition
insufficient nutrition
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of poor
Of course, poor Michael Landon had passed away way too young.
—
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 23 July 2025
Taking too many is poor etiquette and inconsiderate to other shoppers.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025
Because her judgment is so poor, your aggressively driving grandmother should not be behind the wheel.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 23 July 2025
But the strategy has backfired, and only made the shopkeepers poorer, and angrier.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 23 July 2025
Taking too many is poor etiquette and inconsiderate to other shoppers.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 July 2025
Because her judgment is so poor, your aggressively driving grandmother should not be behind the wheel.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 23 July 2025
But the strategy has backfired, and only made the shopkeepers poorer, and angrier.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poor
Adjective
-
Will parts of Norway look like Nauru, a formerly lush tropical paradise stripped of its phosphate rock, and now a barren, impoverished cautionary tale?—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
The owner had purchased it in 2006 through a federal mortgage program designed specifically for people like her: impoverished, first-time homeowners who live in the most rural parts of the United States.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
20 July 2025
Adjective
-
Padam and Tulsi, whose remote Himalayan village has become increasingly desolate as families migrate to cities, leaving the pair to wonder who will perform their last rites.—
Variety Staff,
Variety,
25 July 2025
-
Imagine how desolate the Democrats are that a Democrat running on affordability is an anti-establishment Democrat.—
Ted Reed,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
While specific details of his early childhood are scarce, Weller came of age during a time when distilling was a booming regional industry, often run by farmers and small-business operators who combined their agricultural production with whiskey making.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
-
Details after paramedics whisked Valdes away are scarce, her friend says, as no one was allowed to ride with her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she was later pronounced dead.—
Isabel Rivera,
Miami Herald,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
In his short stint in Scranton, that number has come down a hair, but still resides at an unacceptable 29.4%.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Mistakes should not be viewed as failures or unacceptable setbacks, but rather as calculated risks—necessary steps in the iterative journey of progress.—
Davide Sartini,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
There will be four questions related to easing the city’s terrible housing shortage, all useful and needed, and one useless question about moving our local elections from odd years, like this present year, to presidential contest years.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
21 July 2025
-
But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
My pansies are pitiful, the lavender is languishing and the salvia is suffering.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
7 July 2025
-
Something about this one note prompted even this pitiful creature to a risky gesture of mercy.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
None of that foursome broke camp on Toronto’s Opening Day roster.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Meanwhile, lawmakers learned Wednesday that Social Security and Medicare are expected to go broke earlier than last projected because of rising costs, according to the funds’ trustees.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Then there is Canada and Greenland’s beef over the uninhabited Hans Island, a barren spit in the Kennedy Channel.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Brown, barren, patchy spots in your lawn can be unsightly.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poor. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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