Definitions

1. noun

a state of poverty or being poor; a lack of money or resources

“She lived in penury after losing her job and struggling to find new employment.”

2. noun

a scarcity or lack of something, especially a valuable resource or commodity

“The company was faced with a severe penury of skilled workers, making it difficult to meet production targets.”

3. noun

a state of scarcity or insufficiency, often used to describe a lack of something abstract

“The country was experiencing a penury of hope and optimism in the face of economic crisis.”