as in hoboes
a person who lives by public begging
the pitiful beggars that are such a common sight in underdeveloped countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of beggars
George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
In Havana, beggars are ubiquitous.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Got a lot of mountains to climb, had to leave some beggars behind.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Indeed, the beauty of New Orleans proper was found in its colorful variety of humans—the loons and cons, the beggars and peddlers.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
In the old days beggars were drawn and quartered in that square.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
In Havana, beggars are ubiquitous.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
Got a lot of mountains to climb, had to leave some beggars behind.
—Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Indeed, the beauty of New Orleans proper was found in its colorful variety of humans—the loons and cons, the beggars and peddlers.
—Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beggars
Noun
-
The former, in which Burnett and Hamilton did a song-and-dance routine as Dust Bowl-era hobos, marked the first of several times that the two performed together.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
From oversized, slouchy hobos to structured East-West silhouettes and laptop-ready work totes, this season’s best suede bags deliver a luxurious polish that will elevate every fall wardrobe.—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Throughout much of Buddhist history, and particularly in Theravada Buddhist contexts, mindfulness and its associated meditation methods have been the purview of mendicants (monks and nuns), who used mindfulness meditation to achieve trance states (jhana) leading to nirvana.—
Charles Preston,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But those states also have Republican governors, who would have raised holy hell if their constituents had been menaced by these roving mobs of mendicants.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The 2020s have been a decade of compounding American institutional failure — a pandemic, political rupture, an affordability crisis, student loan servicers treated as adversaries, a healthcare system that bankrupts the sick, and a growing sense that the system is not working as advertised.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But in a plea reached in September, Alameda County prosecutors allowed Frederic, an Orlando resident, to plead no contest to a lesser offense of obstructing a public roadway, a misdemeanor count more typically associated with the prosecution of aggressive panhandlers.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Attorneys argued Glendale's rules were overly broad and discriminatorily enforced against impoverished panhandlers, and should have applied equally to high school sports teams holding signs advertising a car wash, or Girl Scouts selling cookies, attorneys said.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On Bolivia’s Isla del Sol, simple guesthouses and boutique hotels overlook Incan ruins and the seemingly endless blue water.—
Carla Vianna,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Nothing ruins a cute skirt moment faster than thigh chafing.—
Michelle Rostamian,
PEOPLE,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For ski bums looking to hit the Colorado slopes without slogging through I-70 traffic, there’s no better destination than Winter Park.—
Sarah Cahalan,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Expensive trip to modern backcountry huts Backcountry skiing is no longer just for ski bums.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While viral infections are the most common cause in the United States, bacteria, parasites and fungi can also cause the condition.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that the pythons have also introduced harmful non-native parasites to Florida and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Who doesn’t get fired up when the coach busts a move, right?—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Suddenly, Jamie busts through the house to Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) surgical room and gently places Amy on the table.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beggars.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beggars. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
