flat broke

1. Also,. Completely penniless. For example, I can't help you—I'm flat broke, or He's stone broke again. The first term dates from the mid-1800s and uses flat in the sense of “completely” or “downright.” The variant dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

The woman making the request, Suerkis Polanco, explained that her family was flat broke and facing eviction from their “chete” in early January.

From Seattle Times

When he was first elected in 1979, he was flat broke.

From Salon

“That’s weird”—I paused to lick my finger—“because she was whining all last week about being flat broke. Girls, go figure.”

From Literature

Although Haupt was a dapper dresser, he was a big spender and flat broke.

From Literature

He almost quit the business when, flat broke and frustrated that the city’s North Side clubs were white and not booking jazz and the South Side venues weren’t paying decent wages, he nearly sold his vibraphone and got a regular job.

From New York Times

Related Words

• bankrupt 
• exhausted 
• impoverished 
• indigent 
• insolvent 
• needy 
• penniless 
• poor 
• poverty-stricken 
• strapped