as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
went from being a penniless girl to owner of her own restaurant
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Recent Examples of penniless
McGregor, on the other hand, had viewers in the palm of his hand as Christian, the penniless writer who falls in love with Satine despite her commitment to a truly vile duke, who has invested in the Moulin Rouge and promised to make Satine’s dreams of stage stardom come true.
—
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Some states are looking to what’s next In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor’s signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor's signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
Twenty-four masterpieces, many rarely lent, were gathered from museums all over the world and brought together in the city where Caravaggio, born Michelangelo Merisi, arrived penniless in 1592.
—Nicole Krauss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penniless
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Some states are looking to what’s next In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor’s signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
—Hannah Fingerhut, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor's signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
—ABC News, 11 Mar. 2026
Twenty-four masterpieces, many rarely lent, were gathered from museums all over the world and brought together in the city where Caravaggio, born Michelangelo Merisi, arrived penniless in 1592.
—Nicole Krauss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penniless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penniless
Adjective
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The play’s focus is resolutely on the impoverished rural family of women who fall under this ambitious bluesman’s influence in the rural Georgia of the 1930s, writes Chris Jones.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
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This model is much less appealing to the impoverished governments, which sometimes struggle to pay their own troops.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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After wildfires hit Georgia in April 2026 fueled by a rain deficit, high winds and low humidity, — among other causes, per NASA — neighboring states got slammed with poor air quality alerts.—
Ryan Brennan
May 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
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However his attitude on health care and taxes places Newsom at odds with advocates for poor Californians who would be affected and their allies in the Legislature, many of whom want a tax increase.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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The two share an inquisitive and child-like energy, turning heavy conversations about growing up broke, the solitude of incarceration, and desperate cries for attention, into something remarkably light.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
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On Monday, Pat Riley essentially said what’s broke should be fixed.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penniless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penniless. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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