penniless

adjective

ˈpe-ni-ləs How to pronounce penniless (audio)
Definition of pennilessnext
as in impoverished
lacking money or material possessions went from being a penniless girl to owner of her own restaurant

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of penniless Horan, the daughter of Irish immigrants, died penniless at the Springside Almshouse in 1907. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026 Nearly penniless in Missouri during the height of the Depression, both women’s financial futures hinged entirely on the book’s success. — Rosemary Counter, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026 Demoustier stars as a penniless young woman called Suzanne working on the ‘Venus Electrificata’ sideshow of a traveling fair meting out electrifying kisses to unsuspecting paying bystanders, while secretly being charged with electricity. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 May 2026 The show followed a wealthy family who became penniless overnight after falling victim to fraud. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penniless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penniless
  1. impoverished
  2. poor
  3. broke
Adjective
  • The impoverished Reds work as slave labor in the mines of Mars, while the super-strong Golds rule the solar system and war on each other.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors accuse him of participating in schemes to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from Venezuelan government programs intended to provide housing, food and other necessities to the country’s impoverished population.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Measles usually kills two or three people in every 1,000 cases, the WHO says, but the disease can be more deadly in poorer nations because of factors such as malnutrition.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • That receiver sends that poor defender into next week at the pylon.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Chastain goes for broke with melodrama as both the real and fake Mommies.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The fact that the region’s broke local government is paying a total of 12 million for a renewable partnership with the Centre Pompidou doesn’t help.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of broke

Browse Nearby Words

penned
penniless
penning
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penniless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penniless. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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