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Definitions

poor

[poor] / pʊər /
ADJECTIVE
lacking sufficient money
Synonyms
STRONGEST
destitute impoverished indigent low meager needy penniless poverty-stricken underprivileged
STRONG
bankrupt down-and-out flat insolvent scanty suffering
WEAK
bad off beggared beggarly behind the eight ball broke dirt poor empty-handed flat broke fortuneless hard up impecunious in need in want moneyless necessitous pauperized penurious pinched reduced stone broke strapped truly needy unprosperous
Antonyms
STRONGEST
affluent prosperous rich wealthy well-to-do
STRONG
comfortable fortunate solvent
ADJECTIVE
deficient, inadequate
Synonyms
STRONGEST
feeble inferior insufficient meager mediocre miserable modest ordinary shoddy substandard unsatisfactory weak
STRONG
common crude diminutive imperfect mean plain scanty slight subnormal trifling
WEAK
below par dwarfed exiguous faulty humble incomplete insignificant lacking low-grade lowly paltry pitiable pitiful reduced rotten second-rate shabby skimpy sorry sparse subpar trivial valueless worthless
Antonyms
STRONGEST
able adequate extraordinary strong sufficient superior
STRONG
excellent uncommon
WEAK
great
ADJECTIVE
weak, unfertile
Synonyms
STRONGEST
feeble impaired impoverished
STRONG
barren imperfect sick
WEAK
bare depleted exhausted fruitless indisposed infertile infirm puny sterile unfruitful unproductive worthless
Antonyms
STRONGEST
healthy strong
WEAK
adequate fertile potent rich superior
ADJECTIVE
unfortunate, unhappy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
miserable wretched
WEAK
commiserable hapless ill-fated luckless pathetic piteous pitiable pitiful rueful unlucky
Antonyms
WEAK
happy lucky

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Poor weather probably pushed some of that hiring into March.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

At every level, it’s the same performance: Poor me, I’m the victim, everybody hates me, but I am still teeming with courage.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

The land was owned for decades by the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of Roman Catholic nuns providing elder care.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Poor weather and a lack of food and water contributed to the deaths, the coastguard said.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Poor Spaghetti—the kids are scared of him and prefer to pet the other animals.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling