poor
puu
Poor (adj) means having little money or few possessions. Example: “The charity helps poor families pay for winter heating.”
adj
1
Having little money or few possessions.
"The charity helps poor families pay for winter heating."
"They grew up poor but happy."
"Her family was too poor to afford a holiday abroad."
2
Of low quality or standard.
"The report was criticized for its poor grammar."
"He's in poor health these days."
"The poor quality of the sound ruined the concert for us."
3
Deserving pity or sympathy.
"Poor Dave — he missed the whole party."
"The poor kitten was soaking wet and shivering on the doorstep."
"Oh, you poor thing, you must be exhausted after that journey."
noun
1
Poor people collectively, especially as a group in society.
"The policy was meant to help the poor access healthcare."
"Volunteers at the kitchen serve hot meals to the poor every evening."
"In many stories, a hero takes from the rich and gives to the poor."
How to use poor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLacking money, or lacking quality; also used sympathetically to mean "unfortunate."
Common pairings
dirt poor
poor quality
poor thing
poor health
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like poor.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- poors
- Third person singular
- poors
- Past tense
- poored
- Comparative
- poorer
- Superlative
- poorest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The charity helps _____ families pay for winter heating.
Etymology
From Old French povre, from Latin pauper — the same root that gives us "pauper."
Synonyms
View more →
impoverished
penniless
broke
hard up
needy
low-income
poverty-stricken
poor people
miserable
jejune
hapless
inadequate
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for poor
See all rhymes for poor →Frequently asked questions
What does “poor” mean?
The word “poor” means having little money or few possessions. In plain terms, lacking money, or lacking quality; also used sympathetically to mean "unfortunate.".
How do you pronounce “poor”?
“Poor” is pronounced puu (/pʊɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “poor” in a sentence?
Here is “poor” used in a sentence: “The charity helps poor families pay for winter heating.”
What part of speech is “poor”?
Depending on how it is used, “poor” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “poor” come from?
The word “poor” comes from Latin. From Old French povre, from Latin pauper — the same root that gives us "pauper.".
Is “poor” a common word?
“Poor” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “poor” have?
“Poor” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having little money or few possessions.
What is the difference between poor and broke?
Poor suggests a lasting lack of money and possessions, an ongoing condition. Broke is more casual and usually temporary, meaning you have no cash to hand right now, even if you are normally comfortable. A wealthy person can be broke before payday, while a poor person is broke as a way of life.
Does poor always mean lacking money?
No. While its core sense is having little money, poor also describes low quality, as in a poor performance or poor health, and it can express sympathy, as in 'the poor thing'. The exact meaning depends on context, but here it refers specifically to financial hardship.
What is the opposite of poor?
In the money sense, the opposites are rich, wealthy, affluent and well-off, all describing people with plenty of money or possessions. When poor means low quality instead, its opposites shift to good, excellent or superior. The right antonym depends entirely on which meaning you have in mind.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include poor:
