penniless
adj. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpɛniɫəs// UK //pˈɛnɪləs// pen·ni·less
adj. having no money at all. You use this to describe someone who is very poor or has spent all their cash.
adj. having no money or being in a state of extreme poverty. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'remain'.
He arrived at the city penniless and alone.
After the sudden collapse of the company, the employees found themselves penniless and struggling to pay their rent.
The protagonist begins the novel penniless, forced to navigate the harsh realities of urban life while searching for a way to regain his former status.
From Middle English penyles, penylees; equivalent to penny + -less. Compare Old Norse penningalauss (“penniless”).