1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of poverty
Each organization or business within the 200 acres works to support the community by such things as building affordable homes, eliminating concentrations of poverty, preventing displacement, and improving health and wellness services and resources.
—
Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2025
Although she’s presented as a deeply misguided character by Dickens—understandable given the levels of poverty in Britain at the time—in an age of greater global inequality, the priorities of Mrs. Jellyby would surely be viewed in a different light.
—Ben Brooks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Johnson, a longtime resident of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, which was deeply impacted by the pandemic crime spike, focused safety efforts on the 35 most violent police beats in the city, often characterized by the convergence of poverty, unemployment, and historic disinvestment.
—Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Today, residents of these neighborhoods — where historic redlining and unequal investment by city government have often occurred — are still statistically more likely to experience poverty, air pollution and deadly diseases like cancer.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2025
Although she’s presented as a deeply misguided character by Dickens—understandable given the levels of poverty in Britain at the time—in an age of greater global inequality, the priorities of Mrs. Jellyby would surely be viewed in a different light.
—Ben Brooks
july 17, Literary Hub, 17 July 2025
Johnson, a longtime resident of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood, which was deeply impacted by the pandemic crime spike, focused safety efforts on the 35 most violent police beats in the city, often characterized by the convergence of poverty, unemployment, and historic disinvestment.
—Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Today, residents of these neighborhoods — where historic redlining and unequal investment by city government have often occurred — are still statistically more likely to experience poverty, air pollution and deadly diseases like cancer.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
-
That simplistic assessment would not account for the first student’s misery or the second child’s enjoyment.—
Iddo Gefen,
Twin Cities,
16 July 2025
-
Forced to comply with stereotypical African-American misery, Burnett works best outside Hollywood formula.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
California already faces some of the highest housing costs in the country and a shortage of construction workers.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
-
Spain, to cite but one example, has a housing shortage and is currently considering levying a 100% tax on foreign buyers of real estate.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Noun
-
This leadership style reflects not just personal preference but historical necessity.—
Gabriel Snyder,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Just as with the WISeR model, the current list of codes subject to authorization includes some with questionable medical necessity or low-value.—
Diane Omdahl,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
The person denied being responsible for the noose, police said, noting that due to a lack of eyewitnesses and legal probable cause, no charges are expected against the person, who will not be allowed to return for any type of stadium construction.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 July 2025
-
And the Covid episode itself--when inflation hit 9% before the Fed finally began hiking dramatically--remains a major point of concern about the institution’s lack of intellectual diversity.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
All the hallmarks of American poverty — bad food, obesity and urban blight — coalesced in an apocalyptic scene of destitution and vagrancy.—
Andrew Moore,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
-
That means at least one in five people or households severely lack food and face starvation and destitution.—
Edith M. Lederer,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
This 2020 essay provides a deep dive into literacy deficiencies, fear, psychological reasoning, disproportionate weighting of information on the Internet, and other factors that perpetuate them.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
Not only are the two parties unpopular in polling terms, but their struggle for power seems defined more by their deficiencies and limitations than by the breadth of their appeal.—
Craig Gilbert,
jsonline.com,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
By April 2024, as the bombing, displacement and deprivation continued, UNICEF estimated that 100 percent of children in Gaza were in need of mental health and psychosocial support.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to fatigue, mood swings, low libido and difficulty concentrating, according to the National Institutes of Health.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Trump’s overall bill, however, has been estimated to add more than $4 trillion to the deficit over the same time period.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
23 July 2025
-
Johnson, who campaigned against raising property taxes and instead pitched other progressive revenues, backed off of Lightfoot’s policy in his first budget, only to renege last year amid a nearly $1 billion deficit.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poverty. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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