penniless

American

[pen-i-lis] / ˈpɛn ɪ lɪs /

adjective

without any money whatsoever; totally impoverished; destitute.

Synonyms:

indigent

Antonyms:

rich

penniless British

/ ˈpɛnɪlɪs /

adjective

very poor; almost totally without money

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See poor.

Other Word Forms

pennilessly adverb
pennilessness noun

Etymology

Origin of penniless

First recorded in 1275–1325, penniless is from the Middle English word peniles. See penny, -less

Explanation

Someone who's penniless is very poor — they barely have enough money to pay for basics like food and shelter. If you're penniless, it can be tempting to buy a lottery ticket — but your odds of winning are terrible. People who live without enough — either because they've lost a job, had other bad luck, or are experiencing a temporarily poor stage in their lives — can call themselves penniless. Some college students feel penniless, having only enough cash to buy used books for class and eating every meal in the dining hall. This early fourteenth century word comes from the sense of "without even a penny."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Wright also exerted financial control, leaving her "penniless".

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Born June 11, 1928 in Massillon, Ohio, one of three sons to Hester and Titus Bamberger, John David Bamberger grew up penniless, with no electricity or running water.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

So, if you happen to be one of the winners of tonight’s now $980 million Mega Millions jackpot, then how can you ensure you don’t end up penniless?

From MarketWatch • Nov. 14, 2025

At 17, he ended up penniless in Miami, living with his father in a rat-infested warehouse and cleaning canary cages for cash.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2025

It was a mediocre boardinghouse for penniless students, presided over by a middle-aged couple with a calling for espionage.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023