dog-poor
Adjective: - Extremely poor: "dog-poor" describes a state of severe poverty, where someone lacks basic necessities such as food, shelter, or money. The term emphasizes a condition of destitution, often used informally to convey a high degree of hardship.
- (He was in a state of extreme poverty with no resources.)
- (They were desperately poor, barely able to afford food.)
"as dog-poor as a church mouse": a simile reinforcing the idea of extreme poverty.
- They were as dog-poor as a church mouse, with nothing to their name. (They were utterly destitute, like a mouse in an empty church.)
"to be born dog-poor": to have been raised in severe poverty from birth.
- She was born dog-poor in a rural village, but later became a successful entrepreneur. (She started life in extreme poverty.)
Poor (adj): lacking sufficient money or material possessions.
- The poor family could not afford medicine. (They had very little money.)
Poverty-stricken (adj): extremely poor, often used more formally.
- The poverty-stricken region lacked clean water and schools. (The area was severely affected by poverty.)
Impoverished (adj): reduced to poverty; made poor.
- The war left many people impoverished. (They were left with very little.)
Destitute: without any money or possessions; extremely poor.
- After the fire, the family was destitute. (They had nothing left.)
Penniless: having no money at all.
- He arrived in the city penniless and alone. (He had no money.)
Broke (informal): having no money; ruined financially.
- I'm completely broke until payday. (I have no money.)
Dirt poor: extremely poor, similar to "dog-poor."
- They were dirt poor, living in a tent. (They were very poor.)
Poor as a church mouse: extremely poor.
- He was poor as a church mouse, with only the clothes on his back. (He had almost nothing.)
Living hand to mouth: having just enough money to survive, without savings.
- They lived hand to mouth, spending all their earnings on food. (They barely got by.)