as in poverty
the state of lacking sufficient money or material possessions
widespread destitution in Third World countries
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Recent Examples of destitution
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
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
Between 1820 and 1845, the number of weavers plummeted from two hundred and forty thousand to sixty thousand, as many faced destitution.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for destitution
Edith M. Lederer, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
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
Between 1820 and 1845, the number of weavers plummeted from two hundred and forty thousand to sixty thousand, as many faced destitution.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for destitution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitution
Noun
-
Newer data shows more surprises about poverty rates and gender pay gaps by majors.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
As a result, Vietnam’s poverty rate has fallen to just 4%, according to the World Bank.—
Andres Oppenheimer
September 17,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Andrés Giménez was put on earth to cause misery to major league hitters looking to sneak ground balls through the infield.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
California’s housing crisis produces untold human misery and environmental degradation.—
Stan Oklobdzija,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitution. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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