Definition of "poverty-stricken" [poverty-stricken]

• Suffering from poverty; miserably poor. See Synonyms at poor. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The church must extend its evangelistic program into all of the poverty-stricken and slum areas of the big cities, thereby touching the individuals who are more susceptible to criminal traits."
• "•TV's best family drama, Friday Night Lights (tonight, 8 ET/PT), begins its NBC stint with Coach Taylor (Kyle Chandler) transferred to poverty-stricken East Dillon High."
• "Well, about 14 percent of the U.S. population would be considered poverty-stricken by that standard."