Meaning of poor in English

1. Pronunciation

   /pʊr/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Classifying Adjective

   poor

   Definitions

   1. moderate to inferior in quality

   Examples

   • « they improved the quality from mediocre to above average »
   • « he would make a poor spy »

   Synonyms

   • inferior
2. 2. deserving or inciting pity

   Examples

   • « a hapless victim »
   • « miserable victims of war »
   • « the shabby room struck her as extraordinarily pathetic- Galsworthy »
   • « piteous appeals for help »
   • « pitiable homeless children »
   • « a pitiful fate »
   • « Oh, you poor thing »
   • « his poor d »

   Synonyms

   • unfortunate
3. 3. low in degree

   Examples

   • « expectations were poor »

   Synonyms

   • low
4. 4. not sufficient to meet a need

   Examples

   • « an inadequate income »
   • « a poor salary »
   • « money is short »
   • « on short rations »
   • « food is in short supply »
   • « short on experience »

   Synonyms

   • insufficient
   • deficient
5. 5. unsatisfactory

   Examples

   • « a poor light for reading »
   • « poor morale »

   Synonyms

   • bad
6. 6. yielding little by great labor

   Examples

   • « a hardscrabble farm »
   • « poor soil »

   Synonyms

   • unfruitful

7. Qualitative Adjective

   poor

   Etymology

   Middle English: from Old French poure, from Latin pauper

   Definitions

   1. having little money or few possessions

   Examples

   • « deplored the gap between rich and poor countries »
   • « the proverbial poor artist living in a garret »

   Synonyms

   • broke
   • bust
   • skint
   • stone-broke
   • stony-broke
   • destitute
   • impoverished
   • indigent
   • necessitous
   • needy
   • poverty-stricken
   • hard up
   • impecunious
   • in straitened circumstances(p)
   • penniless
   • penurious
   • pinched
   • moneyless
   • unprovided for(p)

   Antonyms

   • rich
8. 2. characterized by or indicating lack of money

   Examples

   • « the country had a poor economy »

   Synonyms

   • beggarly
   • mean
   • slummy

   Antonyms

   • rich
9. 3. badly supplied with desirable qualities or substances

   Examples

   • « a poor land »
   • « the area was poor in timber and coal »
   • « food poor in nutritive value »

   Synonyms

   • resourceless

   Antonyms

   • rich