1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
every year, we make up a basket of food at Thanksgiving for a poor family in the neighborhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desolate
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
land that is too poor for farming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
a poor crop because of the drought this year
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
a pretty poor musician, even for a garage band
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5
as in terrible
of low quality
the poor workmanship of the goods from that store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in pitiful
deserving of one's pity
aw, the poor kitten hurt its paw
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
poor quality
a poor judgment
an unwise judgment
a lousy judgment
a questionable judgment
a horrible judgment
an improper judgment
a poor performance
a weak performance
an unacceptable performance
a negative performance
an inadequate performance
a horrendous performance
a poor condition
a deteriorated condition
a shabby condition
a sub-par condition
a shoddy condition
a pitiful condition
poor nutrition
unbalanced nutrition
improper nutrition
deficient nutrition
unhealthy nutrition
insufficient nutrition
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of poor
Now research is finding that specifically working nights and rotating shift schedules can leave people susceptible to depression and poor health.
—
Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
But his mother, known to all as Miss Lillian, made a point of caring for poor Black women while cheering on Black boxer Joe Louis and baseball’s color-line defying Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu won a November runoff against her Moscow-friendly rival in an election seen as pivotal to the future of one of Europe’s poorest nations.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
The challenge started in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, a charity aimed at fighting against poor effects of alcohol.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poor 
Andrea Muraskin, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
But his mother, known to all as Miss Lillian, made a point of caring for poor Black women while cheering on Black boxer Joe Louis and baseball’s color-line defying Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu won a November runoff against her Moscow-friendly rival in an election seen as pivotal to the future of one of Europe’s poorest nations.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
The challenge started in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK, a charity aimed at fighting against poor effects of alcohol.
—Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for poor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for poor
Adjective
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The popular medical drama follows the heartwarming tale of life in London’s impoverished East End, as a group of midwives welcome new lives and care for the community in the changing times of the 1950s and 1960s.Lily Ford, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Dec. 2024
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Cyclone Chido is the deadliest storm to strike the territory in nearly a century, underscoring the vulnerability of the island’s impoverished population.Adrienne Surprenant and Tom Nouvian, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Breed: Pit bull mix Age: 1 year Buddy’s story: Buddy was found on the side of a desolate highway in the mountains.Maryanne Dell, Orange County Register, 28 Dec. 2024
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Advertisement After Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, paving the way for the imprisonment of 120,000 people of Japanese descent — two-thirds of whom were American citizens — in desolate detention camps.Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In both cases, skilled labor is scarce either because of the remote location and quality of life issues, or competition for the labor force from high technology and other industries.Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
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While details are scarce, many are suggesting that prices will start at roughly $80,000.Jeremy White, WIRED, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Drivers overwhelmingly perceive drunk driving as dangerous (95%) and socially unacceptable.Tanya Mohn, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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Although party representatives are meant to cede responsibility to the military brass during conflicts, their prominence could complicate the use of AI tools, especially if those technologies recommend politically risky or otherwise unacceptable operations.Sam Bresnick, Foreign Affairs, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That would be a terrible mistake, the Fienberg brothers argued in a Dec. 17 letter that addressed only Bowers’s federal death sentence.David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Dec. 2024
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Leaving wet clothes in the washing machine for too long can lead to mold and mildew, which could permanently stain your clothes—and lead to terrible smells.Heather Bien, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Perhaps this weekend can be a get-right game against the pitiful New York Jets, but there’s not much to be excited about.Fox News Staff, Fox News, 13 Nov. 2024
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Mercifully, Newcastle came up against a Leicester side whose setup under Ruud van Nistelrooy was as naive as their defensive performance was pitiful.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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For instance, portfolios with a high equity allocation show a lower probability of going broke when mean reversion is considered, compared with random walk assessments.Larry Light, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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Cory FaceTimes with his baby mama and former The Challenge finalist Cheyenne, who tells him he better not have been gone for six weeks just to come home a broke loser.Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The students tried to reduce this food loss as well as to solve the urchin barren problem in one shot and the results seemed successful.Akiko Katayama, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
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Shoppers often find shelves barren, with some sections understocked or lacking basic products.Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 29 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Poor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poor. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
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