penury

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/ˈpen.jə.ri/
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The condition of being extremely poor.
Practice using penury in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • The fund helps artists facing penury.
  • Her memoir describes years of penury.
  • The war reduced many households to penury.
  • The family lived in penury after the harvest failed.
  • He died in penury despite his fame.

Similar words

indigence
destitution
extreme poverty

Meanings

Severe poverty

noun
poverty
formal
Names a lasting state of severe material deprivation, often in formal writing.

Examples

  • The family lived in penury after the harvest failed.
  • He died in penury despite his fame.
  • The war reduced many households to penury.
  • Her memoir describes years of penury.
  • The fund helps artists facing penury.

Similar words

destitution
indigence
extreme poverty

Etymology

From Latin penuria, meaning want or scarcity.

FAQ

What does penury mean?

Penury means extreme poverty.

When is penury used?

It often appears in writing about social hardship or history.

How does penury differ from poverty?

Poverty is broader; penury strongly suggests severe want.

How is penury used in a sentence?

He died in penury despite his fame.

Is penury formal?

Yes, it is formal and usually uncountable.

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