Synonyms: Poor

Enrich your vocabulary with this list of words that describe the condition of having little or no money. For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. bankrupt
    financially ruined
    Losses, failures, and unforeseen misfortunes ruined him, and he found himself bankrupt.Rameur, E.
    Bankrupt comes from the Italian banca rotta, meaning "broken bank."
  2. beggar
    an impoverished person who lives by asking for charity
    More than once, hungry beggars attempted to grab a handful of rice.When the Sea Turned to Silver
  3. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    He was born in Dundee, the son of a shipyard engineer, and left school at 15 because the Depression left his family broke, if not actually destitute.The Guardian (Nov 18, 2012)
  4. impecunious
    not having enough money to pay for necessities
    Ai spent 12 years in the U.S., including a decade in New York City from 1983 to 1993 as an impecunious art student in the East Village.Wall Street Journal (Nov 3, 2016)
    Pecunia is "money" in Latin, and impecunious means "without money."
  5. impoverished
    poor enough to need help from others
    Katheline was very impoverished, but the neighbours helped her by sending in beans and bread and meat, according as they were able.Coster, Charles de
    A person who experiences poverty is impoverished.
  6. indigent
    poor enough to need help from others
    In those days there were no poor laws; for the monks provided for all the wants of the indigent.Anonymous
    The word indigent is similar to destitute, which describes someone in need of financial assistance for basic necessities.
  7. insolvent
    unable to meet or discharge financial obligations
    The money is probably lost now that the company is insolvent, she added.Seattle Times (Jul 22, 2020)
  8. meager
    deficient in amount or quality or extent
    He surveyed his meager possessions with wonder over the unexpected course of his life.The Serpent King
    A meager income is barely enough to meet someone's needs. The word comes from the French maigre, meaning "thin."
  9. needy
    poor enough to need help from others
    He asks me for money for needy children.Like Vanessa
  10. pauper
    a person who is very poor
    Now Miss Rosa was not only an orphan, but a pauper too.Absalom, Absalom!
    Pauper comes from the same Latin root, paupertas, as poverty.
  11. penury
    a state of extreme poverty or destitution
    He was poor and lived in utter penury.Night
  12. poverty
    the state of having little or no money and possessions
    Despite its poverty, Sophiatown brimmed with a rich life and was an incubator of so much that was new and valuable in African life and culture.Long Walk to Freedom
Created on March 22, 2020 (updated March 22, 2021)

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