noun · neutral
poverty
UK/ˈpɒvəti/US/ˈpɑːvərti/POV·er·ty
the state of being very poor, lacking money and basic needs
Examples
“The government launched a programme to reduce poverty in rural areas.”
“Child poverty remains a serious problem.”
“Many NGOs focus on alleviating poverty through education.”
Band 8 sentence
“Addressing poverty requires both immediate social support and long-term investment in education and jobs.”
Collocations
- alleviate poverty
- eradicate poverty
- living in poverty
Word family
Common mistakes
Many peoples live in poverty.→Many people live in poverty.
We need to eradicate poverity in our country.→We need to eradicate poverty in our country.
Say it for a higher band
5poor→6low income→7+poverty
Synonyms
destitution
poor
Easily confused
destitution
“After the flood many families were living in destitution.”
poor
“They are poor and cannot afford school fees.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Society & Government
Learn it with its set