penury

American  

[pen-yuh-ree] / ˈpɛn yə ri /

noun

1. extreme poverty; destitution.

   Synonyms:

   want, need, indigence

   Antonyms:

   wealth

2. scarcity; dearth; inadequacy; insufficiency.

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penury British  

/ ˈpɛnjʊrɪ /

noun

1. extreme poverty

2. extreme scarcity

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Etymology

Origin of penury

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin pēnūria; akin to Greek peîna hunger, penía poverty

Example Sentences

In California, 5.5 million residents, including 2 million children, will be forced deeper into penury.

From Los Angeles Times

The AAU’s dictatorial control forced athletes into penury and enriched its leaders.

From The Wall Street Journal

He faced agony abroad, then penury in his adopted home.

From Seattle Times

If that’s true, what conceivable difference could it make whether a few of the dinosaur oil and gas companies want to merge and go into the abyss of bankruptcy and penury holding hands?

From Washington Times

Raye has been an outspoken critic of the industry after spending nearly a decade in record label penury, unable to release an album without their say-so.

From BBC