Sometimes, people don’t have enough money to buy what they need. Writers use similes to show what that feels like. A simile compares two things using words like “as” or “like.” Saying someone is “as poor as dirt” doesn’t mean they are dirt it just shows they have very little. These kinds of comparisons help others understand how tough life can be for someone with no money.
In this article, we will learn 33 similes that people use to talk about being poor. These similes come from real life and stories. They use simple pictures to help us see and feel what it means to be poor. Learning them can help us become better writers and more understanding people.
Similes for Poor
1. As poor as dirt
Meaning: Very poor
In a Sentence: After losing his job, he was as poor as dirt. / She grew up as poor as dirt in a small town.
Other Ways to Say: Broke / Had nothing
2. As poor as a church mouse
Meaning: Extremely poor and without resources
In a Sentence: That old man is as poor as a church mouse. / After college, he was as poor as a church mouse.
Other Ways to Say: Very broke / Almost nothing
3. As broke as a joke
Meaning: Having no money at all
In a Sentence: I can’t go to the movies I’m as broke as a joke. / She was as broke as a joke after buying new shoes.
Other Ways to Say: Flat broke / No money left
4. As poor as a stray dog
Meaning: Living with almost nothing, like an abandoned animal
In a Sentence: The boy felt as poor as a stray dog with no home. / They lived in a house as poor as a stray dog’s shelter.
Other Ways to Say: Homeless / Needy
5. As poor as a scarecrow in winter
Meaning: Having nothing, especially in tough times
In a Sentence: He looked as poor as a scarecrow in winter, wearing worn clothes. / They were as poor as a scarecrow during the cold months.
Other Ways to Say: Bare / In need
6. As empty as a piggy bank on allowance day
Meaning: No money at all
In a Sentence: My wallet was as empty as a piggy bank on allowance day. / After buying lunch, her purse was as empty as a piggy bank.
Other Ways to Say: Totally empty / Not a cent
7. As thin as a dime
Meaning: Poor and struggling
In a Sentence: Life was as thin as a dime when Dad lost his job. / Their savings were as thin as a dime.
Other Ways to Say: Tight on money / Struggling
8. As needy as a baby bird
Meaning: In need of help and resources
In a Sentence: The family was as needy as baby birds waiting for food. / He felt as needy as a baby bird in a big world.
Other Ways to Say: Helpless / Dependent
9. As ragged as a scarecrow
Meaning: Wearing very old or torn clothes
In a Sentence: She was as ragged as a scarecrow after school. / He came in as ragged as a scarecrow, soaked in rain.
Other Ways to Say: Worn out / Shabby
10. As cold as a coin
Meaning: Living without warmth or comfort
In a Sentence: Their home was as cold as a coin in the winter. / He felt as cold as a coin walking to school.
Other Ways to Say: Cold and poor / No heat
11. As hungry as a street dog
Meaning: Very poor and always looking for food
In a Sentence: He was as hungry as a street dog after missing lunch. / She looked as hungry as a street dog at dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Starving / Could eat anything
12. As poor as a forgotten toy
Meaning: Left out, without care or comfort
In a Sentence: He felt as poor as a forgotten toy in the corner. / That old shop looked as poor as a forgotten toy.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored / Alone and needy
13. As worn as old shoes
Meaning: Used too much and very poor
In a Sentence: His jacket was as worn as old shoes. / The house was as worn as old shoes, needing repairs.
Other Ways to Say: Run-down / Used up
14. As light as a feather in the pocket
Meaning: No money at all
In a Sentence: His pockets were as light as a feather no money at all. / I’m as light as a feather this week no allowance left.
Other Ways to Say: Broke / Empty pockets
15. As dusty as an old attic
Meaning: Unused, unloved, and poor
In a Sentence: Their house was as dusty as an old attic. / That poor bike looked as dusty as an attic find.
Other Ways to Say: Forgotten / Dirty and old
16. As poor as a worn-out penny
Meaning: Old and worth very little
In a Sentence: He’s as poor as a worn-out penny, working every day just to eat. / Their furniture was as poor as a worn-out penny.
Other Ways to Say: Worth little / Very used
17. As tired as an old blanket
Meaning: Poor and worn from use
In a Sentence: The couch was as tired as an old blanket. / She looked as tired as an old blanket after working late.
Other Ways to Say: Worn out / Overused
18. As low as the bottom shelf
Meaning: Poor and at the lowest level
In a Sentence: He felt as low as the bottom shelf after losing his wallet. / Their old house sat as low as the bottom shelf in the neighborhood.
Other Ways to Say: At the bottom / Very poor
19. As cracked as an old plate
Meaning: Broken and used up
In a Sentence: The walls were as cracked as old plates. / His shoes were as cracked as an old plate.
Other Ways to Say: Broken / Not in good shape
20. As forgotten as yesterday’s lunch
Meaning: Overlooked and not cared for
In a Sentence: That poor store was as forgotten as yesterday’s lunch. / She felt as forgotten as yesterday’s lunch when no one helped her.
Other Ways to Say: Ignored / Left out
21. As bare as an empty shelf
Meaning: Having nothing at all
In a Sentence: Their fridge was as bare as an empty shelf. / His room looked as bare as an empty shelf.
Other Ways to Say: Empty / Nothing inside
22. As sad as an old sock
Meaning: Worn out and forgotten
In a Sentence: That toy was as sad as an old sock, sitting in the corner. / He looked as sad as an old sock in his torn clothes.
Other Ways to Say: Worn / Left behind
23. As hollow as an old drum
Meaning: Empty and without support
In a Sentence: Their home felt as hollow as an old drum. / His dreams seemed as hollow as an old drum without help.
Other Ways to Say: Empty / Lonely
24. As shaky as a broken chair
Meaning: Unstable or not strong
In a Sentence: Their home was as shaky as a broken chair during the storm. / His old bike was as shaky as a broken chair.
Other Ways to Say: Not steady / Weak
25. As thin as soup water
Meaning: Not rich or full; very little of value
In a Sentence: The meal was as thin as soup water, but they were thankful. / Their dinner was as thin as soup water during hard times.
Other Ways to Say: Not enough / Weak
26. As plain as dry toast
Meaning: Simple and without extras
In a Sentence: Their life was as plain as dry toast just enough to get by. / Her lunch was as plain as dry toast.
Other Ways to Say: Simple / Nothing fancy
27. As faded as old paint
Meaning: Worn out over time
In a Sentence: The curtains were as faded as old paint. / His shoes were as faded as old paint.
Other Ways to Say: Washed out / Worn
28. As old as hand-me-down jeans
Meaning: Passed down many times and used
In a Sentence: His coat was as old as hand-me-down jeans. / The toy was as old as hand-me-down jeans but still fun.
Other Ways to Say: Secondhand / Handed down
29. As cheap as a garage sale toy
Meaning: Very inexpensive and sometimes worn
In a Sentence: The backpack was as cheap as a garage sale toy. / His shoes were as cheap as garage sale toys.
Other Ways to Say: Very cheap / Not costly
30. As patched as a teddy bear’s tummy
Meaning: Full of fixes and repairs
In a Sentence: His pants were as patched as a teddy bear’s tummy. / Their blanket was as patched as a teddy bear.
Other Ways to Say: Mended / Fixed often
31. As empty as a Halloween bucket in January
Meaning: Having absolutely nothing left
In a Sentence: After spending her money, her wallet was as empty as a Halloween bucket in January. / His savings were as empty as a Halloween bucket in January.
Other Ways to Say: Completely empty / Nothing inside
32. As forgotten as last year’s toys
Meaning: Left behind and not thought about
In a Sentence: That broken chair was as forgotten as last year’s toys. / Their home felt as forgotten as last year’s toys.
Other Ways to Say: Left out / Ignored
33. As cracked as a dry sidewalk
Meaning: Showing signs of struggle or wear
In a Sentence: Their yard was as cracked as a dry sidewalk. / The old shoes were as cracked as a dry sidewalk.
Other Ways to Say: Broken / Worn down
Exercise to Practice
- After buying snacks for the team, his wallet was as ________.
- That boy’s jacket was torn and thin, as ________.
- Her shoes were falling apart, as ________.
- The empty lunchbox looked as ________ in the cafeteria.
- Their living room was as ________ during winter.
- My old backpack is as patched as ________.
- Their dinner was simple, as ________.
- After moving, that small house felt as ________.
- He had no money to buy the toy, his pocket was as ________.
- That forgotten playground looked as ________.
- After shopping, Mom said we’re as ________ until next week.
- Their clothes were so old, they looked as ________.
Answer Key
- light as a feather in the pocket
- ragged as a scarecrow
- cracked as a dry sidewalk
- bare as an empty shelf
- cold as a coin
- patched as a teddy bear’s tummy
- plain as dry toast
- hollow as an old drum
- empty as a piggy bank on allowance day
- forgotten as last year’s toys
- broke as a joke
- worn as old shoes
Conclusion
Similes help us picture what life is like for people who don’t have much. Saying someone is “as poor as a church mouse” or “as empty as a shelf” makes it easy to understand how hard it can be. These comparisons use simple things from real life so we can feel what others might be going through.
Learning these similes can help us become better writers and kinder people. We learn not just to describe poverty but to understand it with care.