going poor

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "going poor" is not standard in written English and may be considered incorrect.
It could be used informally to describe someone who is becoming impoverished or experiencing financial difficulties, but it is not commonly accepted. Example: "After losing his job, he felt like he was going poor and struggled to make ends meet."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

With better skills, the argument goes, poor workers will be more attractive to foreign companies, who will offer them more money.

The Economist

As the thinking went, poor countries like Bangladesh would lose millions of jobs and wind up even poorer.

Huffington Post

"It is a poor area, and it has gone poorer due to the blockade and movement restrictions on Gaza".

Unicef

Going from poor to less poor is the easy part.

The Economist

If you want to get poor, go look for gold.

The New York Times

Otherwise I'd be going home poor at the end of each shift.

The New York Times

Nor are they especially enthused by going into poor neighbourhoods to paint school playgrounds, he adds.

The Guardian

He wants to spend $340 billion on prescription drugs for Medicare enrollees, with the largest subsidies going to poor families.

The New York Times

But for Propel the biggest lessons have come from going to poor neighborhoods where people use food stamps.

The New York Times

First, it targets low-income families well, with a large proportion of EITC payments going to poor and low-income families (Liebman, 1998).

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

estrogen receptor (ER); Good Outcome (GO); Poor Outcome (PO); log2 test over reference ratio [log2 (t/r)]; Prediction Analysis for Microarrays (PAM); Significance Analysis for Microarrays (SAM); immunohistochemistry (IHC).

BMC Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's financial situation, use more precise and widely accepted phrases like "becoming impoverished" or "experiencing financial hardship" for clarity and professionalism.

Common error

Using non-standard phrases like "going poor" can lead to confusion. Opt for clearer expressions such as "falling into poverty" or "becoming financially unstable" to ensure your message is easily understood.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "going poor" functions as a verb phrase combined with an adjective, attempting to describe a process of impoverishment. However, it's considered grammatically incorrect and non-standard, as noted by Ludwig. It doesn't conform to typical English sentence structures.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "going poor" is considered grammatically incorrect and non-standard in English. As Ludwig points out, it's not a commonly accepted phrase. While its intent to describe the process of becoming impoverished might be understood, it's best to use more precise and widely accepted alternatives like "becoming impoverished", "falling into poverty", or "experiencing financial hardship" to ensure clarity and professionalism in both formal and informal contexts. Using more conventional language will help avoid ambiguity and improve the overall quality of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

becoming impoverished

Focuses on the process of becoming poor, emphasizing a gradual decline into poverty.

falling into poverty

Emphasizes the act of entering a state of poverty, often suggesting a loss of previous financial stability.

losing wealth

Highlights the diminishing of one's assets or financial resources.

becoming destitute

Indicates a state of extreme poverty, implying a lack of basic necessities.

experiencing financial hardship

Focuses on the difficulties and struggles associated with a lack of money.

becoming broke

Informal term for running out of money, often implying a sudden or complete loss of funds.

running out of money

Describes the process of depleting one's financial resources.

descending into poverty

Suggests a downward trajectory towards a state of being poor.

sliding into debt

Emphasizes the increasing accumulation of debt as a pathway to financial instability.

facing financial ruin

Highlights the imminent possibility of complete financial collapse.

FAQs

What's a more appropriate way to say "going poor"?

Instead of "going poor", consider using phrases like "becoming impoverished", "falling into poverty", or "experiencing financial hardship", which are more grammatically correct and widely understood.

Is "going poor" grammatically correct?

No, "going poor" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use established phrases that clearly convey the intended meaning, such as "becoming broke" or "losing wealth".

When is it acceptable to use the phrase "going poor"?

While not formally correct, "going poor" might be used informally in casual conversation. However, it's advisable to avoid it in professional or academic writing. Use more formal alternatives like "descending into poverty" or "facing financial ruin" for greater clarity and credibility.

What's the difference between "going poor" and "becoming impoverished"?

"Going poor" is a non-standard phrase, while "becoming impoverished" is a grammatically correct and widely accepted way to describe the process of becoming poor. "Becoming impoverished" is more suitable for formal contexts.