A state of extreme poverty or destitution.

synonyms: indigence, need, pauperism, pauperization.

Roget 804: poverty, indigence, penury, pauperism, destitution, want; need, neediness; lack, necessity, privation, distress, difficulties, wolf at the door.    bad circumstances, poor circumstances, need circumstances, embarrassed circumstances, reduced circumstances, straightened circumstances; slender means, narrow means; straits; hand to mouth existence, res angusta domi [Lat.], low water, impecuniosity.    beggary; mendicancy, mendicity^†; broken fortune, loss of fortune; insolvency etc. (nonpayment) 808.    empty pocket, empty purse; light purse; beggarly account of empty boxes.    [poor people] poor man, pauper, mendicant, mumper^†, beggar, starveling; pauvre diable [Fr.]; fakir^†, schnorrer^†; homeless person.    ... show more

Dutch: pauperisme, armoe, armoede, armoedigheid, armzaligheid, behoeftigheid, nood, nooddruft
Polish: potrzeba