1
a
: lacking material possessions
b
: of, relating to, or characterized by poverty
2
a
: less than adequate : meager
b
: small in worth
3
: exciting pity
you poor thing
4
6
: barren, unproductive
—used of land
7
8
: lacking a normal or adequate supply of something specified
—often used in combination
oil-poor countries
poorness
noun
Examples of poor in a Sentence
We were too poor to buy new clothes.
The organization helps poor families.
She has a poor vocabulary.
It was a poor attempt at a joke.
He is in poor condition.
She couldn't read the sign because her vision was too poor.
Recent Examples on the Web
In fact, the massive, albeit picturesque, gullies were made because of poor farming practices during the 1800s.
—
Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025
Each site has a different interface, often poor or glitchy.
—Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
The Heat continues to rotate through different starting groups because of injuries and poor play, using six different starting lineups in the last six games and 11 different starting lineups in the last 13 games.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
In a lot of poor countries, there are no financial or medical resources.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
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Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 21 Mar. 2025
Each site has a different interface, often poor or glitchy.
—Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
The Heat continues to rotate through different starting groups because of injuries and poor play, using six different starting lineups in the last six games and 11 different starting lineups in the last 13 games.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 22 Mar. 2025
In a lot of poor countries, there are no financial or medical resources.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for poor
Cite this Entry
“Poor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poor. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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