destitute

American  

[des-ti-toot, -tyoot] / ˈdɛs tɪˌtut, -ˌtyut /

adjective

1. without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter.

   Synonyms:

   impoverished, penniless, necessitous, indigent, poor, needy

   Antonyms:

   affluent

2. deprived of, devoid of, or lacking (often followed byof ).

   destitute of children.

   Synonyms:

   deficient

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verb (used with object)

destituted, destituting

1. to leave destitute.

destitute British  

/ ˈdɛstɪˌtjuːt /

adjective

1. lacking the means of subsistence; totally impoverished

2. completely lacking; deprived or bereft (of)

   destitute of words

3. obsolete abandoned or deserted

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Other Word Forms

• destitutely adverb
• destituteness noun
• predestitute adjective
• undestitute adjective

Etymology

Origin of destitute

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dēstitūtus (past participle of dēstituere to abandon, deprive of support), equivalent to dē- de- + stit- place, put (combining form of statuere; statute ) + -ū- thematic vowel + -tus past participle suffix

Example Sentences

Or maybe you worry that if the attorney exploits your relative and leaves them destitute, the rightful heirs will inherit little.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

The Dominican nuns who run the kitchen prepare food for about 80 elderly or destitute people -- growing numbers of Cubans are forced to rummage through garbage bins for food -- each day.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Modi, as the Italian was affectionately called, was urbane, well-groomed and handsome, while Soutine was destitute, sickly and notoriously unwashed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

He ended up on the streets, in homes for the destitute, or working on tea estates in Assam.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025

How in his near destitute state he was able to obtain the needed money is not known.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

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