poor

adjective

ˈpu̇r  ˈpȯr 

1

a

: lacking material possessions

b

: of, relating to, or characterized by poverty

2

a

: less than adequate : meager

b

: small in worth

3

: exciting pity

you poor thing

4

a

: inferior in quality or value

b

: humble, unpretentious

c

: mean, petty

5

: lean, emaciated

6

: barren, unproductive

—used of land

7

: indifferent, unfavorable

8

: lacking a normal or adequate supply of something specified

—often used in combination

oil-poor countries

poorish

ˈpu̇r-ish 

ˈpȯr-

adjective

poorness noun

Synonyms

• beggared
• beggarly
• broke
• destitute
• dirt-poor
• down-and-out
• famished
• hard up
• impecunious
• impoverished
• indigent
• necessitous
• needful
• needy
• pauperized
• penniless
• penurious
• poverty-stricken
• skint [chiefly British]
• threadbare

Examples of poor in a Sentence

We were too poor to buy new clothes.

The organization helps poor families.

She has a poor vocabulary.

It was a poor attempt at a joke.

He is in poor condition.

She couldn't read the sign because her vision was too poor.

Recent Examples on the Web

His role comes a year after a poor performance in his Madison Square Garden debut just eight games into his NBA career: 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and a block. —Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 Dec. 2024

As of Tuesday afternoon, a winter weather advisory was in place warning of poor driving conditions in parts of the state. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024

Visibility was poor because of the long shadows of winter morning. —James Parker, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024

But a reality show based on a show about a group of poor people being exploited for entertainment and violence didn’t come without its own controversy. —Matt Minton, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English poure, from Anglo-French povre, pore, from Latin pauper; akin to Latin paucus little and to Latin parere to give birth to, produce — more at few, pare

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing poor

• a poor second/third/fourth
• bad/poor form
• bad/poor loser
• dirt-poor
• in poor/bad (etc.) condition
• in (very) bad/poor taste
• land-poor
• make a poor fist of
• piss-poor
• poor/bad sport
• poor box
• poor boy
• poor devil
• poor farm
• poor law
• poor man's
• poor mouth
• poor/sad/sorry excuse for
• poor-spirited
• poor white
• the poor
• undeserving poor
• whip-poor-will

Kids Definition

poor

1 of 2 adjective

ˈpu̇(ə)r,

ˈpō(ə)r

1

: lacking riches or possessions

2

: less than enough

a poor crop

3

: not good in quality or character of work

4

: lacking fertility

poor land

5

: not satisfactory

the patient had a poor day

6

: lacking in signs of wealth or good taste

poor furnishings

7

: worthy of pity or sympathy

the poor kitten hurt its paw

poorly adverb

poorness noun

poor

2 of 2 plural noun

: poor people

charity for the poor