Another Word for Poor: 19 Synonyms with Examples
“Poor” can mean lacking money, of low quality, or deserving sympathy. Each sense has different synonyms and tones.
As an adjective: lacking money
- impoverished
- needy
- penniless
- broke
- hard up
- deprived
- disadvantaged
As an adjective: of low quality
- inferior
- substandard
- inadequate
- weak
- shoddy
- unsatisfactory
- deficient
As an adjective: deserving sympathy
- unfortunate
- unlucky
- pitiful
- wretched
- hapless
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How they differ
Synonyms share a meaning, not always a tone. Here is when to pick each of the main options.
- impoverished
- Formal; made poor, often of regions or communities.
- disadvantaged
- Lacking money or opportunities; common in policy writing.
- broke
- Informal: having no money right now.
- inadequate
- Not good enough for the purpose.
- unfortunate
- Unlucky; polite and neutral.
Example sentences
- impoverished: The charity works in impoverished rural areas.
- disadvantaged: The scheme supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- broke: I'm broke until payday.
- inadequate: The heating was inadequate for such a large hall.
- unfortunate: The unfortunate passengers waited six hours.
Opposite of poor
- rich
- wealthy
- excellent
- fortunate
More from WordNet
Less common or more specialised words WordNet lists for other senses of “poor”. Check the meaning before you use one.
adjective: miserable, pathetic, piteous, pitiable
WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Used under the WordNet licence.
Frequently asked questions
What is another word for “poor”?
The most useful alternatives are “impoverished”, “needy”, “penniless”, “broke”, “hard up”. For the main sense (lacking money), “impoverished” is usually the closest swap.
What is the difference between “impoverished” and “disadvantaged”?
impoverished: Formal; made poor, often of regions or communities. disadvantaged: Lacking money or opportunities; common in policy writing.
What is the opposite of “poor”?
Common antonyms are “rich”, “wealthy”, “excellent”, “fortunate”.