Indigence
hardNegative toneIN-di-juhns
noun
Definition
extreme poverty
Memory hook
INDIGENCE: sounds like 'IN-DIG-ence' — you have to DIG IN trash cans because you're so dirt-poor you own nothing.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“Years of unemployment had reduced the proud family to outright indigence.”
“The charity was founded to relieve the indigence of laborers displaced by the mill's closing.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“Years of unemployment had reduced the proud family to outright ______.”
Show answer
indigence
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Indigence is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "destitution" or "penury" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "affluence".
Related GRE Words
penury
extreme poverty; destitution
aberrant
Deviating from what is normal or expected
aberration
A departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
abeyance
a state of temporary suspension or inactivity
abscond
To leave secretly and hide, especially to avoid arrest or prosecution
abstemious
Moderate in eating and drinking; self-restrained
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