1
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions
many families were left destitute by the horrible fire
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of destitute
So there's a real tug-of-war between being grateful, and feeling destitute and rudderless.
—
Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
After years of war and revolution, Nicaragua was destitute; there was no money for street signs.
—Tim Golden, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025
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
America will be destitute without us.
—Katie Smith, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Bill Chappell, NPR, 16 Jan. 2025
After years of war and revolution, Nicaragua was destitute; there was no money for street signs.
—Tim Golden, ProPublica, 13 Jan. 2025
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
America will be destitute without us.
—Katie Smith, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for destitute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for destitute
Adjective
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Eagerly drinking the Kool-Aid is Simone DeWitt (Alcock), a formerly impoverished but deeply ambitious upstart from Buffalo who gets a taste of the lifestyle of the rich and famous as Michaela's uppity assistant.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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That could mean removing spending from public school meal programs for impoverished children, removing access to health care to people with developmental disabilities, or cutting Social Security payments to even the deficit.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Banking has become functionally correct but emotionally devoid, with the industry swimming in a sea of sameness.—
Michael Abbott,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
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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
Adjective
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The product was released in 2023 to a poor reception, and discontinued before the company began winding down operations in February.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
24 May 2025
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The original doesn’t go that deeply into it, but this poor girl was essentially forced to be a teen mom at this time in her life when all of her friends would be graduating high school and dating and thinking about their futures.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, countless others who chased hot tips and quick wins are broke, both financially and emotionally.—
Shane Enete,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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Image Set in Brooklyn in the summer of 2022, the action takes place in the apartment of Emmy, a playwright freshly cognizant of the danger of being too broke to afford health insurance.—
Laura Collins-Hughes,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Destitute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/destitute. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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