1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
many families were left destitute by the horrible fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devoid
utterly lacking in something needed, wanted, or expected
a lingering drought and a sky destitute of rain clouds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of destitute
That was, until big-hearted border officers took in these destitute immigrants, who found new lives in America as Selma and Lieu, Petunia and Peanut, Cupid, Penelope, Selena and Floyd.
—
Lauren Villagran, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Jan. 2025
Then, in 1888, its acres were set aside for disabled and destitute veterans.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
When destitute emigrants from Scandinavian countries moved to the United States in the late nineteenth century, the blue-eyed visitors were largely welcomed.
—Carla Norrlof, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019
The most destitute Syrians are hard to locate, and the wealthiest Syrians neither need UNHCR benefits nor live in the low-income areas where refugees concentrate.
—Daniel Corstange, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2016
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Lauren Villagran, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Jan. 2025
Then, in 1888, its acres were set aside for disabled and destitute veterans.
—Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
When destitute emigrants from Scandinavian countries moved to the United States in the late nineteenth century, the blue-eyed visitors were largely welcomed.
—Carla Norrlof, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2019
The most destitute Syrians are hard to locate, and the wealthiest Syrians neither need UNHCR benefits nor live in the low-income areas where refugees concentrate.
—Daniel Corstange, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2016
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitute
Adjective
-
Three generations of the Kim family have created a politically repressed and economically impoverished state that is nonetheless a pivotal actor on the global stage.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
-
Now with all these things vanished, along with the bookstores and repertory cinemas, the city seems impoverished and disfigured.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Delle, devoid for so long from its intrinsic need for social interaction might be filling in the gaps by talking to himself.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
14 Feb. 2023
-
The medication has hallucinogenic effects that alter the perception of sight and sound and cause users to feel devoid from pain and out of control of their surroundings.—
Jay Stahl,
USA TODAY,
28 Oct. 2023
Adjective
-
And another research team, using data from 2015 to 2022, observed in an article available in Energy Research and Social Science that poor income distribution correlates with social unrest when fossil fuel subsidies are removed.—
Aldo Flores-Quiroga,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
-
And poor work conditions can hurt morale in any field.—
Jeff Weiner,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Perhaps part of the problem was the downer premise: a broke Phyllis moves in with her San Francisco in-laws and struggles to find a job following the death of her dermatologist husband.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
21 Dec. 2024
-
Show creator Natasha Rothwell plays Mel, a broke JFK airport employee who has never been in love.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
5 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitute. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share