breadline

British

/ ˈbrɛdˌlaɪn /

noun

a queue of people waiting for free food given out by a government agency or a charity organization
impoverished; living at subsistence level

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Vocabulary lists containing breadline

The Great Depression and The New Deal

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Myles and Creevy play a successful business owner and her new "down on her luck" cleaner who is living on the breadline, Barry said.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

When the tour’s over, I’m back on the breadline, honey.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 16, 2024

The true number of people on the breadline may be much higher.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 18, 2023

Most clubs in Scotland live on the breadline, most supporters travel to watch their team more in hope than expectation of goals and victories.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2023

It seemed brutal to be wading into the bill of fare with poor old Bicky headed for the breadline.

From My Man Jeeves by Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023