poverty line

noun

: a level of personal or family income below which one is classified as poor according to governmental standards

called also poverty level

Examples of poverty line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That’s according to reporting by PennLive, which notes that nearly 17 percent of the township’s residents live below the federal poverty line. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026 Families that have an income under 300% of the federal poverty line, are unhoused, or have a child with special needs are prioritized, as mandated by the federal government. — Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 Head Start generally serves families at or below the federal poverty line, while childcare assistance programs in many states face waitlists and funding constraints. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026 According to the latest federal data, more than half of caregivers who come into contact with CPS live under the federal poverty line, and 60% of those caregivers reported receiving food assistance through food stamps or EBT. — Sandy Santana, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poverty line

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty line was in 1887

Rhymes for poverty line

See All Rhymes for poverty line

Browse Nearby Words

poverty grass
poverty line
poverty pine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty%20line. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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