poverty trap

British  

noun

1. the situation of being unable to escape poverty because of being dependent on state benefits, which are reduced by the same amount as any extra income gained

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Example Sentences

"To break free from the poverty trap, it is essential to first break the primary vicious circle by addressing its root causes - namely the key determinants of economic growth," he says.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2025

But those energy retrofits are expensive and are likely beyond the reach of many low-income households, which could lead to what the researchers call an energy poverty trap.

From Science Daily • May 31, 2024

“Most cocoa growers live in poverty, and the cocoa poverty trap has led to the widespread use of child labour,” read a statement issued by Mars Wrigley, Mondelez, Barry Callebaut and other companies.

From Washington Post • Dec. 31, 2019

“However, I grew up in a $500 house, and all my buddies and I escaped that poverty trap because we had incredibly strong values,” he said.

From New York Times • Aug. 23, 2017

The poverty trap as said does not exist.

From Definition & Reality in the General Theory of Political Economy by Colignatus, Thomas