poverty
The state of being extremely poor, or the condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support.
A broad term for a general lack of material possessions or money, often implying a standard of living below what is considered adequate in a given society.
Word relationships
- destitution: More extreme and absolute lack of necessities.
- indigence: Similar to poverty, but often emphasizes a lack of means to subsist.
- wealth: Abundance of valuable possessions or money.
- affluence: The state of having a great deal of money; wealth.
Commonly confused with
- hardship: Poverty is the state; hardship is the difficulty or suffering caused by that state.
Word family
- poor (adjective): Lacking sufficient money to live at a standard considered comfortable or normal.
- impoverish (verb): To make (a person or area) poor.
Collocations
- extreme poverty
- absolute poverty
- relative poverty
- child poverty
- cycle of poverty
- alleviate poverty
- eradicate poverty
Idioms & expressions
- poverty line
- poverty trap
Example sentences
- "The report highlighted that global poverty remains a significant challenge, with millions still lacking access to basic necessities." Discussing global economic challenges.
- "The true measure of a society's progress is not its wealth, but how it treats those living in poverty." From a historical account of social conditions.
Memory hook
Think of 'POVer-ty' as 'POOR-very-tea' – having so little you can barely afford a cup of tea, let alone a proper meal. Poor-very-tea
When not to use
While 'poverty' is a general term, for describing extreme, absolute lack of necessities, more specific terms like 'destitution' or 'penury' might be more impactful.
Fun facts
- The term 'poverty line' was first introduced in the late 19th century to define a minimum income necessary for survival.
Explore more words
deprivation, wealth, ascetic, affluent, livelihood, austerity
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