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Meaning of poor in English

  1. Pronunciation

    /pʊr/

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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

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