poor few

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "poor few" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward or unclear.
It could be used to describe a small number of people or things that are in a disadvantaged or unfortunate situation, but the expression lacks clarity. Example: "The poor few who remained after the disaster struggled to rebuild their lives."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

'I'd had a poor few months.

The Guardian - Sport

OF ALL the organisations that serve America's poor, few do more good work than the Catholic church: its schools and hospitals provide a lifeline for millions.

The Economist

Those poor few people, having to wait in "waiting rooms that broil in the summer and freeze in the winter" at the Secaucus transfer station ("No Crowds of Commuters Here," Sept. 19).

The New York Times

Ben Judah's epic account of contemporary London is similarly motivated by a desire to show our capital in its true (new) colours: as a megacity of global migrants, some of them rich, most of them poor, few of them happy with their lot.

The Guardian - Books

And Geraghty added the squad were desperate to turn things around after a poor few weeks.

BBC

More unexpectedly, some service industries in which the UK is a world leader - finance, engineering and architecture - have had a poor few months.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Not all of the information was new, or surprising: more illness and death from heat waves, especially among the young, elderly, frail and poor; fewer deaths from cold.

The New York Times

But attendance in the House of Commons was poor: fewer than ten Lib Dem MPs showed up and Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader and Deputy Prime Minister, left midway through the debate.

The Economist

It is now especially wide between the richest few countries in the world and the poorest few, which are mainly in Africa; wider, indeed, than ever before.

The Economist

The fact that breaking windows would make a society poorer (fewer windows) is precisely why nobody ever proposes stimulating the economy by deliberately smashing windows.

The New York Times

The poor have few legal recourses against these abuses.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "poor few", consider the specific nuance you wish to convey. Alternatives like "unfortunate few" or "disadvantaged few" may provide greater clarity and impact depending on the context.

Common error

Avoid using "poor few" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more precise and professional alternatives like "disadvantaged minority" or "economically challenged segment" for enhanced clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "poor few" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. It describes a small group characterized by unfortunate circumstances or a lack of resources. This is reflected in the examples provided by Ludwig AI, where it's used to depict disadvantaged individuals or entities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "poor few" is a phrase used to describe a small number of individuals or entities that are in an unfortunate or disadvantaged situation. While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI suggests that the phrase is not very common and could lack clarity for some readers. It is most frequently found in news and scientific contexts. Consider alternative phrasings like "unfortunate few" or "disadvantaged handful" for greater precision. When using "poor few", be mindful of the specific nuance you wish to convey to ensure your message is clear and impactful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unfortunate minority

Replaces "poor" with "unfortunate" to emphasize the unlucky nature of the small group.

disadvantaged handful

Substitutes "poor" with "disadvantaged" to focus on the lack of opportunity and "few" with "handful" to highlight the limited number.

needy minority

Uses "needy" instead of "poor" to stress the lack of essential resources and emphasizes their small presence using "minority".

impoverished subset

Replaces "poor" with "impoverished" for a more formal tone, indicating a lack of wealth and replaces "few" with subset indicating it's a small portion.

deprived selection

Employs "deprived" to highlight a lack of essential resources or opportunities, suggesting something has been taken away. The smallness it's expressed with "selection".

underprivileged scattering

Uses "underprivileged" to focus on social and economic inequalities, and "scattering" to describe the small number of individuals.

marginalized cluster

Emphasizes the social exclusion aspect using "marginalized" and indicates a small group using "cluster".

destitute scattering

Replaces "poor" with "destitute" to intensify the level of poverty and replaces "few" with the more descriptive "scattering".

penurious sprinkling

Offers a more literary alternative, replacing "poor" with "penurious" to signify extreme poverty and using "sprinkling" to describe the small quantity.

indigent segment

Replaces "poor" with "indigent" which highlights a state of poverty or lacking the means of subsistence and the small number with "segment".

FAQs

What does "poor few" mean?

The phrase "poor few" typically refers to a small number of individuals or entities that are in an unfortunate or disadvantaged situation.

Are there better alternatives to "poor few"?

Yes, depending on the context, phrases like "unfortunate minority" or "disadvantaged handful" may be more precise and impactful.

Is "poor few" grammatically incorrect?

While not strictly incorrect, the phrase "poor few" is not commonly used and can sound awkward. Ludwig AI suggests that it could lack clarity for some readers.

How can I use "poor few" in a sentence?

You might say, "The "poor few" who lost their homes in the fire are struggling to rebuild their lives."