poorish

adjective

Definition of poorishnext
as in hardscrabble

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for poorish
  1. hardscrabble
  2. distressed
  3. depressed
  4. reduced
  5. hand-to-mouth
  6. ruined
Adjective
  • Beginning as a road trip, then shifting to a punishing vision of hardscrabble life in Accra, the film blossoms into a story of irrevocable bonds forged out of shared adversity.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
  • These songs were less detailed than the ballads but conveyed intense emotion gleaned from an often hardscrabble existence.
    — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Definition of hardscrabble
Adjective
  • At this year’s Met Gala, where Jeff Bezos was an honorary chair, actor Sarah Paulson wore a voluminous, gray, distressed ball gown from the collection, paired with the eye-covering money mask.
    — Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In the first moments of the film, Flaco is found on a New York City sidewalk, looking distressed and confused.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of distressed
Adjective
  • By mid-December, Clancy was feeling very depressed, Tufts said.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • While there is plenty of food, everyone looks pretty depressed.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of depressed
Adjective
  • Less solar radiation and reduced temperatures can also affect wind, cloud cover and humidity.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Emerging data also points to potential neurological advantages, including a reduced risk of dementia.
    — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduced
Adjective
  • Drop Shots 💰 How match-fixers prey on tennis players living a hand-to-mouth existence lower down the sport’s rankings.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 4 June 2026
  • Behavioral habits, including hand-to-mouth motion, inhalation and smoking rituals may also contribute to why quitting is difficult for many smokers.
    — Victoria Forster, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of hand-to-mouth
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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poor
poorish
poorly
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Cite this Entry

“Poorish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/poorish. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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