1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
many families were left destitute by the horrible fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
a lingering drought and a sky destitute of rain clouds
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destitute
One million of these children are destitute, going without their most basic needs of staying warm, dry, clothed and fed being met, according to a 2023 study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which studies poverty and formulates policy to tackle it.
—
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
Franklin Roosevelt initiated the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Progress Administration as part of the New Deal, putting destitute Americans to work by building roads, dams, bridges, libraries, schools — and parks.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025
Many samurai remain, but sword-carrying is outlawed, leaving many of them jobless and destitute.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 13 Nov. 2025
To make matters worse, the equally destitute viewing public is rewarded for ratting out the runners (or killing the contestants themselves), which pits neighbor against neighbor in a way that keeps the underclass at war with itself.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 24 Nov. 2025
Franklin Roosevelt initiated the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Work Progress Administration as part of the New Deal, putting destitute Americans to work by building roads, dams, bridges, libraries, schools — and parks.
—Martha Ross, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025
Many samurai remain, but sword-carrying is outlawed, leaving many of them jobless and destitute.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 13 Nov. 2025
To make matters worse, the equally destitute viewing public is rewarded for ratting out the runners (or killing the contestants themselves), which pits neighbor against neighbor in a way that keeps the underclass at war with itself.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitute
Adjective
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Cities like Chicago — long a haven for Mexican immigrants with ties to families and a community — became landing spots for migrants from increasingly impoverished and authoritarian places such as Venezuela.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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And because of their status, undocumented students are also more likely to come from impoverished backgrounds, says Caitlin Patler, a professor of public policy at UC Berkeley.—
Jonaki Mehta,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
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That devoid ingredient hindered things exponentially.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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Serious Medical and Emotional Neglect Turner said Kaiko arrived in poor health, suffering from multiple medical issues and signs of prolonged neglect.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The city of Plano scores restaurants on a 100-point system, with 100 considered a perfect score and 70 extremely poor.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Not a lot of acts are going for broke right now, especially when plenty of musicians are just plain broke.—
Hannah Jocelyn,
Pitchfork,
30 Mar. 2026
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And what Hartzman's go-for-broke screams in Milwaukee showed was that Wednesday has been able to meet the moment with a thrilling live show that matches the ecstatic accolades for their latest albums - while crucially staying true to themselves.—
Piet Levy,
jsonline.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitute. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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