poverty line

noun

: a level of personal or family income below which one is classified as poor according to governmental standards

called also poverty level

Examples of poverty line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
About half of the kids experiencing food insecurity above 200% were living in families with incomes 201% to 250% of the federal poverty line. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 Apr. 2026 The think tank’s report defined the upper middle class as a family of three earning $133k to $400k in 2024 dollars—five to 15 times the federal poverty line. Sam Klebanov, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026 Those students come from families who are within 200% of the federal poverty line, which is a total income of $66,000 for a family of four. April 5, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026 The largest share of applicants, 37%, had a household income of less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty line, which is $64,300 for a family of four, according to 2025 federal guidelines. Lina Ruiz april 3, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for poverty line

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of poverty line was in 1887

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Poverty line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poverty%20line. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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