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
Without health coverage, individuals will be sicker, more likely to miss work or not be able to hold a job, thus trapping them in a cycle of poor health and poverty.
—
Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
His vision of a southern United States blasted by crime, poverty, and inequality has put him on Barack Obama’s reading list and at the pinnacle of contemporary southern noir.
—Isle McElroy, Vulture, 21 May 2025
To qualify, household income must be at or below four times the federal poverty level, which is $32,150 for a family of four, or the debt must equal at least 5% of income.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Syria’s gross domestic product is less than half its prewar level; 90% of Syrians are in poverty.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Toni Preckwinkle, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
His vision of a southern United States blasted by crime, poverty, and inequality has put him on Barack Obama’s reading list and at the pinnacle of contemporary southern noir.
—Isle McElroy, Vulture, 21 May 2025
To qualify, household income must be at or below four times the federal poverty level, which is $32,150 for a family of four, or the debt must equal at least 5% of income.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 21 May 2025
Syria’s gross domestic product is less than half its prewar level; 90% of Syrians are in poverty.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for poverty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poverty
Noun
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In the studio, a bad idea can be put out of its misery within a few minutes.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
30 May 2025
-
The Athletic reflects on their 2024-25 efforts, culminating in a 14th-place finish, that caused more misery than joy.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Noun
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At the time Volkswagen was the first automaker to warn of a global chip shortage.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
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The rights of property owners aren’t always given the appropriate amount of respect, especially in a time of housing shortages and rising rents.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Signings of this kind were a regular feature of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, at a time when punishing interest payments relating to the Emirates Stadium’s construction made that kind of value-chasing purchase a necessity.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
To treat thinking not as indulgence but as necessity.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Most troubling is a lack of true concern or remedies for a huge problem for America, our national debt, and the service on that $36 trillion debt, which amounts to almost a trillion dollars a year.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2025
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Brandon Bell/Getty Images What To Know A chronic lack of inventory, partially due to the fact that homebuilders in the U.S. significantly underbuilt in the years following the 2008 crash, contributed to bringing U.S. home prices through the roof in recent years.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Noun
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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
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The latest estimates, as of August 2021, put the value of Russia’s National Wealth Fund at about $185 billion and its foreign currency reserves at $615 billion—hardly a picture of destitution.—
Michael Kofman,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Oct. 2021
Noun
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Key Takeaways Hair shedding or thinning can begin a few months after surgery due to stress, nutrient deficiencies, or both.—
Ashley Olivine,
Verywell Health,
28 May 2025
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Really, much of Hart’s time at Triple-A El Paso was spent attacking his deficiencies against right-handed hitters, who were hitting .333/.386/.698 against him in the majors compared to a .100/.100/.100 line in 20 plate appearances against lefties.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2025
Noun
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But the boys also casually tell stories about the deprivations of their previous life, a reminder of how unusual their childhoods have been by American standards.—
Sacha Pfeiffer,
NPR,
27 May 2025
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The problem with plastic is the deprivation of oxygen to the roots since there is no air circulating into the sides of the basket.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
24 May 2025
Noun
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The tiff between Musk and Republicans continued as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the House bill would add roughly $2.4 million to the deficit over the next decade.—
Riley Beggin,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
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Other concerns stem from the costs of the project, particularly with the city’s growing budget deficit that could reach close to $100 million in the coming years.—
Annika Merrilees,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Poverty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poverty. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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