poverty level

American  

noun

1. poverty line.

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poverty level Cultural  

1. A level of income above which it is possible to achieve an adequate standard of living and below which it is not. It fluctuates with the cost of living.

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Because the poverty level is somewhat artificially established by the government, it can be manipulated for political ends. As with hidden unemployment, governments are often accused of establishing a poverty level that underestimates the number of poor people.

Other Word Forms

• poverty-level
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of poverty level

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

poverty level

On the day I rode with my dad past the White House for the first time, about 10 percent of all Americans lived below the poverty level.

From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026

Those who qualify for debt relief either earn at or below 400% of the federal poverty level or have medical debt that is more than 5% of their income, the nonprofit says on its website.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

A majority of them are under the age of 30 and have an income below the poverty level.

From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026

People earning more than 400% above the federal poverty level have lost their eligibility for tax credits.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026

Accordingly, a formerly incarcerated person living at or below the poverty level can be charged by four or five departments at once and can be required to surrender 100 percent of his or her earnings.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander