Someone who is penniless has hardly any money at all.
They'd soon be penniless and homeless if she couldn't find suitable work.
...a penniless refugee.
Synonyms: poor, broke [informal], bankrupt, impoverished More Synonyms of penniless
penniless in British English
(ˈpɛnɪlɪs)
adjective
very poor; almost totally without money
Derived forms
pennilessly (ˈpennilessly)
adverb
pennilessness (ˈpennilessness)
noun
penniless in American English
(ˈpɛnəlɪs; ˈpɛnilɪs)
adjective
without even a penny; extremely poor
Derived forms
pennilessness (ˈpennilessness)
noun
Examples of 'penniless' in a sentence
penniless
She came to this country virtually penniless and seized an opportunity.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He sounds wistful for a time when actors died penniless.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
And my ambition is to die penniless.
The Sun (2009)
Virtually penniless, she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Paul Preston DOVES OF WAR: Four Women of Spain (2002)
A lot of those actors died penniless.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He was 44 and virtually penniless.
The Sun (2013)
Forced from her home by the civil war, she lived almost penniless in temporary camps barely able to find enough food.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I can't return to work as a chef for another six weeks at least and am almost penniless.
The Sun (2012)
He appears to have come to Britain after the war, almost penniless.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Almost penniless, she bequeathed a "few trifling memorials' to friends.
Paula Byrne PERDITA: The Life of Mary Robinson (2004)
After applying for 120 jobs with no luck, he was left homeless and virtually penniless.
The Sun (2013)
It is sustained by security forces whose middle and lower ranks are almost as penniless, starving and demoralised as the citizens they are meant to suppress.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Hundreds of sports and entertainment figures in Europe and America have earned large incomes in their careers and died penniless.
Hopkins, Tom The Guide to Greatness in Sales (1994)
Not least when, despite all the success, she was left virtually penniless thanks to an astronomical tax bill that wiped out the band.
The Sun (2013)
A penniless refugee, he still wanted to carry on with the medical studies he had commenced in Prague.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A FORMER financial agony aunt has been left virtually penniless after a costly divorce battle.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
penniless
British English: penniless ADJECTIVE
Someone who is penniless has hardly any money at all.
They'd soon be penniless and homeless if she couldn't find suitable work.
American English: penniless
Brazilian Portuguese: sem um tostão
Chinese: 身无分文的
European Spanish: sin dinero
French: sans le sou
German: mittellos
Italian: senza un soldo
Japanese: 一文無しの
Korean: 무일푼의
European Portuguese: sem um tostão
Latin American Spanish: sin dinero
Chinese translation of 'penniless'
penniless
(ˈpɛnɪlɪs)
adj
[person]身无(無)分文的 (shēn wú fēnwén de)
(adjective)
Definition
very poor
a penniless refugee
Synonyms
poor
He was one of thirteen children from a poor family.
broke (informal)
I'm as broke as you are.
bankrupt
I was finally declared bankrupt.
impoverished
The goal is to lure businesses into impoverished areas.
short
ruined
strapped (slang)
needy
a project aimed at raising funds for needy children around the world
cleaned out (slang)
destitute
destitute families who live in poverty
poverty-stricken
delivering medical aid to poverty-stricken areas
down and out
skint (British, slang)
indigent
Medical professionals should be permitted to provide free healthcare to indigent people.
down at heel
impecunious
I first met him when he was an impecunious, would-be racing driver.
dirt-poor (informal)
on the breadline
flat broke (informal)
penurious
on your uppers
stony-broke (British, slang)
necessitous
Necessitous people are not free people.
in queer street (archaic)
moneyless
without two pennies to rub together (informal, archaic)
without a penny to your name
Opposites
rich
,
loaded (slang)
,
wealthy
,
affluent
,
well-heeled (informal)
,
filthy rich
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bankrupt
Definition
financially ruined
I was finally declared bankrupt.
Synonyms
insolvent,
broke (informal),
spent,
ruined,
wiped out (informal),
impoverished,
beggared,
in the red,
on the rocks,
destitute,
gone bust (informal),
in receivership,
gone to the wall,
in the hands of the receivers,
on your uppers,
in queer street (informal)
in the sense of broke
Definition
having no money
I'm as broke as you are.
Synonyms
penniless,
short,
ruined,
bust (informal),
bankrupt,
impoverished,
in the red,
cleaned out (slang),
insolvent,
down and out,
skint (British, slang),
strapped for cash (informal),
dirt-poor (informal),
flat broke (informal),
penurious,
on your uppers,
stony-broke (British, slang),
in queer street (informal),
without two pennies to rub together (informal),
without a penny to your name
in the sense of destitute
Definition
lacking the means to live
destitute families who live in poverty
Synonyms
penniless,
poor,
impoverished,
distressed,
needy,
on the rocks,
insolvent,
poverty-stricken,
down and out,
indigent (formal),
impecunious,
dirt-poor (informal),
on the breadline (informal),
flat broke (informal),
short,
penurious,
on your uppers,
necessitous (literary),
in queer street (informal),
moneyless,
without two pennies to rub together (informal)
Nearby words of
penniless
penitent
penmanship
pennant
penniless
penny
penny-pincher
penny-pinching
Synonyms of 'penniless'
penniless
Explore 'penniless' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of impecunious
Definition
without money
I first met him when he was an impecunious, would-be racing driver.
Synonyms
poor,
broke (informal),
penniless,
short,
strapped (slang),
stony (British, slang),
cleaned out (slang),
insolvent,
destitute,
poverty-stricken,
down and out,
skint (British, slang),
indigent,
dirt-poor (informal),
flat broke (informal),
in queer street,
without two pennies to rub together (informal)
in the sense of impoverished
The goal is to lure businesses into impoverished areas.
Synonyms
poor,
needy,
destitute,
ruined,
distressed,
bankrupt,
poverty-stricken,
indigent (formal),
impecunious,
straitened,
penurious,
necessitous (literary),
in reduced or straitened circumstances,
on your uppers
in the sense of indigent
Definition
so poor as to lack even necessities
Medical professionals should be permitted to provide free healthcare to indigent people.
Synonyms
destitute,
poor,
impoverished,
needy,
penniless,
poverty-stricken,
down and out,
in want,
down at heel (informal),
impecunious,
dirt-poor,
straitened,
on the breadline,
short,
flat broke (informal),
penurious,
necessitous (literary),
on your uppers (informal),
without two pennies to rub together (informal)
in the sense of necessitous
Definition
very needy
Necessitous people are not free people.
Synonyms
needy,
poor,
distressed,
disadvantaged,
in need,
impoverished,
badly off,
hard up,
penniless,
destitute,
poverty-stricken,
underprivileged,
indigent (formal),
impecunious,
penurious
in the sense of needy
Definition
in need of financial support
a project aimed at raising funds for needy children around the world