Basic Details
Word: Destitute
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Extremely poor, without money, food, a home or the basic things needed to live.
Synonyms: penniless, poor, needy, impoverished
Antonyms: wealthy, rich, prosperous, affluent
How to Spell Destitute
Syllables: des - ti - tute
Tricky part: The middle vowel is i (des-ti), and the end is tute with a t, not tude. Students write destitude or destetute.
Watch out for: destitude, destetute, distitute
Memory tip: Destitute ends with the same six letters as substitute and institute: t-i-t-u-t-e.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The orphanage takes in destitute children from the nearby districts.
Example 2: Volunteers handed out blankets to destitute people sleeping on the pavement.
Example 3: The old man had been rich once, but he died destitute.
Fun Fact
Destitute comes from the Latin destitutus, meaning abandoned or left alone.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to destitute as used in the sentence:
The earthquake left thousands of families destitute, with no homes, savings or crops.
a) needy
b) wealthy
c) penniless
d) homeless
Show answer
b) wealthy. Families left with no homes or savings are the very opposite of wealthy ones.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
dest_tu_e
a) e, d
b) i, t
c) i, d
d) e, t
Show answer
b) i, t. The vowel is i and the ending is tute, so the blanks take i and t.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The trust runs a free kitchen for tetitduse families living near the railway station.
a) dissolute
b) substitute
c) institute
d) destitute
Show answer
d) destitute. Three t's sit in the jumble, matching destitute; substitute and institute need a b or an n.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A destitute family most needs ____.
a) a new phone
b) food, shelter and help
c) a bigger car
d) a foreign holiday
Show answer
b) food, shelter and help
2. Which phrase is closest in meaning to "left destitute"?
a) left early
b) left with nothing
c) left in charge
d) left behind at school
Show answer
b) left with nothing
