Poor is not the one who has too little, but the one who wants too much.
Source: tatoeba (1583)
Poor
/pʊɚ/
Synonyms for "poor" (490 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (98)
abjectabominableabstemiousagainstamateurishamissarrantartlessasceticatrociousattenuatedaustereawfulbackwardbadbadly offbankruptbare handedbare-handedbarren
Show 72 more words
basebeggaredbeggarlybelow parbeneath contemptbrokebumbumblingcadaverouscheapcheeseparingcheesychinchychintzychronic poorchronic poverty areacoarsecommonconcontemptiblecorpselikecrappycrudecrumblingcrummydebaseddecrepitdefectivedeficientdegradeddepleteddepraveddepressed classdepressed populationdepriveddesolatedespicabledestitutedestitutiondirtydisappointeddisappointingdisapprobatorydisapprovingdiscontenteddisenchanteddisgruntleddisgustingdisillusioneddisintegratingdispleaseddissatisfieddissentingdistresseddown to bedrockdown-and-outdpdwarfeddwarfishemaceratedemaciateemaciatedembarrassedempty handedempty-handedexecrableexhaustedexiguousfamishedfaultyfeeblefeeling the pinch
Adjective(2 words)
bad examplecrappier
Strong matches (147)
flagrantflatflat brokeflawedflimsyfortunelessfoulfourth classfourth-classfrugalfruitlessfulsomegaudyghetto-dwellersgimcrackygravegrosshackhaggardhalf assed
Show 106 more words
half-assedhalf-starvedhaplesshardhard upheelheinoushollow eyedhollow-eyedhomelyhopelesshumblehumble-lookinghumble-visagedhumblestignobleillill offill-equippedill-fatedill-furnishedill-offill-providedill-starredimpecuniousimpecuniousnessimpoverishedimpoverishmentin narrow circumstancesin needin queer streetin ragsin reduced circumstancesin straitened circumstancesin wantinadeptinadequateinaptinattentiveinconclusiveinconsequentialindifferentindigenceindigentindignantinefficientineptinexpertinferiorinfertileinfirminfrequentingloriousinnocuousinsignificantinsolventinsubstantialinsufficientirregularjejunelameland-poorleanleastlentenlimitedlittlelousylowlow classlow downlow gradelow testlow-classlow-downlow-gradelow-qualitylow-testlowestlowliestlowlylucklesslumpenmangymaranticmarasmicmeagermeagremeanmeaslymediocremeretriciousmickey mousemiddlingmiserablemiserlymodestmoneylessmonstrousnarrownecessitousneedinessneedynefariousniggardlyobnoxious
Noun(9 words)
Adjective(12 words)
haplessinadequatejejunelousierlow incomelow yieldlower-classmeager crowdmediocre qualityminor justificationmiserablemisfortunate
Related words (245)
odiouson short commonson the edgeopposedopposingorneryout of pocketoutcastspalepaltryparsimoniouspatheticpauperismpauperizedpeakedpeakypedestrianpennilesspenuriouspenury
Show 200 more words
pettypiddlingpinchedpitiablepitifulplainpokypoorishpoorly offpoornesspoverty subculturepoverty-strickenprivationpunkpunyraggedrankrarereducedremotereptilianropyrottenrotten atrubbishyruefulruinedsadscabbyscantscantyscarcescatteredscrawnyscrew upscrimpscrimpingscrimpyscrubbyscruffyscummyscurvyscuzzysecond bestsecond classsecond ratesecond-bestsecond-classsecond-rateseedyseldom met withseldom seenshabbyshoddyshortshort of cashshort of fundsshort of moneyshorthandedshriveledsimpleskeletalskill lessskill-lessskimpskimpingskimpysleazyslenderslightslimslipshodsloppyslum-dwellerssmallsordidsorrysparesparingsparsespartanspottysprinkledsqualidsqueezedstar-crossedstarvationstarvedstarvelingstarvingsterilestingystintedstone-brokestonystraitenedstrappedstuntedsubsistencesubstandardtabetictabidtackytattyteachablethe disadvantagedthe dispossessedthe distressedthe down-and-outthe forgotten manthe have-notsthe needythe other americathe poorthe powerlessthe underprivilegedthe urban poorthinthird classthird ratethird-classthird-ratethoughtlesstighttinnytrashytriflingtrivialtrumperyturned offturned-offtwo-for-a-centtwo-for-a-pennytwopennytwopenny-halfpennyunacceptableunappreciativeunapprovingunaptuncomplimentaryundeftunder parunderdeveloped nationunderfedundermannedundernourishedunderprivilegedundexterousundextrousundistinguishedunfacileunfavorableunfedunfirmunfortunateunfruitfulunhappyunimportantunintelligentunluckyunmentionableunmoneyedunnourishingunnutritiousunpretentiousunproductiveunprofessionalunproficientunprosperousunprovedunprovidedunreplenishedunrigorousunsatisfactoryunskillfulunsolidunsoundunstableunsturdyunsubstantialunsuppliedunsustaineduppervaluelessviciousvilewantwastedwateredwateryweakweazenywelfare rollswiped outwitheredwizenedworthlesswraithlikewretchedwrong
Adjective(12 words)
Noun(12 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abject, abominable, abstemious, against, alas.
- Sentence evidence is available for poor, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, 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 "poor".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "poor"
Keep "poor" 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 "poor" 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 "poor", 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 "poor" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesability descriptoreconomic conditionexclamationinterjectionpeoplepersonquality descriptorsocial group
More specific
15 entriesbeggardefective productdestitutedestitute personfaulty equipmenthomeless personincomplete dataindigentinexperiencedpennilesspoor animalpoor thingpoor youunskilleduntalented
Collocations
15 entriespoor attendancepoor familypoor healthpoor judgmentpoor kidpoor little kittenpoor mepoor neighborhoodpoor nutritionpoor studentpoor thingpoor weatherpoor writingpoor youthe poor
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
5 entriesAntonyms
2 entriessimilar
27 entriesbeggarlybrokebustdeficientdestitutehard upimpecuniousimpoverishedin straitened circumstancesindigentinsufficientmeanmoneylessnecessitousneedypenniless
Showing 16 of 27 words.
Translations
4 translations across 3 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- arme noun (Translations)
Bulgarian
2 entries- бедняк noun (Translations)
- беднячка noun (Translations)
German
1 entries- Armer noun (Translations)
Sample sentences
44 total sentences available.
Blindness is responsible for a staggering toll of poor health, suffering, and loss of dignity and diminution in the quality of lives of people worldwide.
Source: tatoeba (1904)
Your poor memory is due to poor listening habits.
Source: tatoeba (17274)
The rich have trouble as well as the poor.
Source: tatoeba (18511)
Showing 4 of 44 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "poor"?
Closest matches include abject, abominable, abstemious, against, alas.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "poor"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.