Indigence

/ˈɪndɪd͡ʒəns/

Synonyms for "indigence" (35 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (7)

Noun(2 words)
needpenury
bare cupboardbare subsistencebeggarlinessbeggarydeprivation

Strong matches (11)

destitutionempty pursegrinding povertygripehand-to-mouth existencehomelessnessimpecuniousnessimpoverishmentlackmendicancy
Noun(1 words)
destitution

Related words (17)

Noun(4 words)
pauper statuspauperismpauperizationpoverty

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: need, penury, bare cupboard, bare subsistence, beggarliness.
  • Sentence evidence is available for indigence, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "indigence".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "indigence"

Keep "indigence" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "indigence" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "indigence", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "indigence" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

7 entries
economic conditioneconomic statusimpoverishmentlegal categorypoornesspovertysocial condition

More specific

6 entries
absolute indigencebreadline povertycourt cost exemptionextreme povertyfee waiverpauper status

Collocations

6 entries
absolute indigenceextreme indigenceindigence ratemeasures of indigencerural indigenceurban indigence

Inflections

1 entries

Derivations

3 entries

Sample sentences

2 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

He had not kept his bowels and nervous system, all his life long, under the influence of rum, tobacco, opium, coffee, tea, or highly seasoned food. He did not it is true, wholly deny himself any one of these, except opium and tobacco; but he only used them occasionally, and even then in great moderation. Nor was it from mere indigence, or culpable stinginess that he ate and drank, for the most part in a healthful manner. It seemed to be from a conviction of the necessity of being "temperate in all things;" and that such a course as he pursued tended to hardihood.

Source: tatoeba (12179718)

On Professor Solanka’s street, well-heeled white youths lounged in baggy garments on roseate stoops, stylishly simulating indigence while they waited for the billionairedom that would surely be along sometime soon.

Source: wiktionary

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "indigence"?

Closest matches include need, penury, bare cupboard, bare subsistence, beggarliness.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "indigence"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "indigence"

Meaning

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