ENGLISH
REFERENCE

destitute

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈdɛstəˌtut// UK //dˈɛstɪtjˌuːt// des·ti·tute

adj. having no money, food, or a home. You use this to describe someone who is extremely poor and lacks the basic things needed to live.

adj. lacking the basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Often used to describe a state of extreme poverty that follows a sudden loss of resources.


SIMPLE

The charity helps families who are left destitute by the war.

CONTEXTUAL

After the factory closed and his savings ran out, he found himself destitute and sleeping in his car.

COMPLEX

The sudden collapse of the local economy left thousands of former middle-class workers destitute, forcing the government to implement emergency housing and food programs to prevent a humanitarian crisis.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English destitute, destitut, from Latin dēstitūtus.

Etymology 2

From Middle English destituten, from the adjective (see above).

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'become', or 'find oneself'.

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