poverty
gb/pˈɑvɚti/ us/pˈɑvɚti/
B1
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
state
1
State of being very poor
The state of not having enough money or things to live well.
Usage pattern:
[someone] lives in poverty
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'poverty' with 'poor'. 'Poverty' is a noun (the state), while 'poor' is an adjective (describing a person or thing).
Synonyms
destitution (A more formal term that emphasizes complete lack of resources.)
|
penury (A very formal or literary term for extreme poverty.)
Antonyms
wealth (Having a large amount of money or possessions, the opposite economic condition.)
|
prosperity (A state of success and good fortune, especially financially.)
Collocations
extreme poverty
|live in poverty
|poverty line
|poverty level
|poverty rate
Themes
economics
|society
|daily life
|finance
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Many families in the area live in poverty.
- The charity aims to reduce child poverty.
- She grew up in poverty but went on to become a successful doctor.
- Extreme poverty remains a global challenge.
- Government programs can help people escape poverty.
Learner examples
- They live in poverty.
- Poverty is a big problem in the city.
- He wants to help people in poverty.
- Some children grow up in poverty.
Noun
formal
B2
state
2
Lack of something important
Not having enough of something important.
Usage pattern:
poverty of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may assume 'poverty' always refers to money. In formal contexts, it can also mean lack of other important things.
Synonyms
scarcity (General term for limited availability of something.)
|
deficiency (A shortfall or lack, often used in formal contexts.)
Antonyms
abundance (A large quantity of something; plenty.)
|
richness (Having a lot of something valuable or desirable.)
Collocations
poverty of imagination
|poverty of opportunity
|poverty of ideas
Themes
general
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The essay shows a poverty of original thought.
- There is a poverty of resources in the rural school.
- Critics noted the poverty of detail in the report.
Learner examples
- The book has a poverty of ideas.
- We see a poverty of food in the area.
- There is a poverty of jobs here.
Grammar
Dictionary form
poverty
IPA
GB/pˈɑvɚti/
US/pˈɑvɚti/
Syllables & stress
poverty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (poverty)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: poverty
- Plural: poverty
Word family
Related words
Expressions
extreme poverty
1/ɪkstɹˈim pˈɑvɚti/
fixed phrase
Very severe lack of money and resources
Very severe form of being poor, often without enough food or shelter.
Examples
- Extreme poverty affects millions worldwide.
- They grew up in extreme poverty.
lift out of poverty
1/lˈɪft ˈaʊt əv pˈɑvɚti/
fixed phrase
Help someone stop being poor
To make someone not poor anymore by improving their life and income.
Examples
- The project lifted thousands out of poverty.
- Education can lift people out of poverty.
live in poverty
1/lˈɪv ˈɪn pˈɑvɚti/
fixed phrase
Have very little money to live on
To have a life with very little money and not enough things for comfort.
Examples
- They live in poverty despite working hard.
- Millions still live in poverty around the world.
poverty line
1/pˈɑvɚti lˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
Official minimum income level
The amount of money you need to have enough food, housing, and other basic things to live.
Examples
- Many families earn less than the poverty line.
- The government raised the poverty line this year.
poverty trap
1/pˈɑvɚti tɹˈæp/
fixed phrase
Cycle keeping people poor
A situation where people stay poor because they cannot earn enough to improve their lives.
Examples
- High childcare costs can create a poverty trap for single parents.
- The program aims to break the poverty trap.
- Many development programs try to help families escape the poverty trap.