Economic Inequality Vocabulary

noun the nobility or those believed to be superior in a society

• The aristocracy held significant power and influence in society during the 18th century.
• The aristocracy always seems to be attending fancy parties and events.
• Some people think the aristocracy is just a bunch of rich snobs.
• In the world of fashion, the aristocracy refers to the top designers and trendsetters.

adjective of or characteristic of a beggar; very poor or impoverished

• The beggarly amount of funding allocated to the arts is insufficient to support local artists.
• I can't believe the beggarly portion of fries they gave me with my burger.
• That beggarly excuse for a car barely made it up the hill.
• Her beggarly attempts at painting were no match for the masterpieces hanging in the gallery.

noun a person without the basic necessities of life; someone who is extremely poor

adjective lacking the basic necessities of life; extremely poor

• The government provided aid to the destitute families affected by the natural disaster.
• We need to help out our destitute neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet.
• It breaks my heart to see people living in such destitute conditions.
• The abandoned building stood as a destitute reminder of better days gone by.

noun a lack of proportion or equality between two or more things

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

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• The disproportion between the two groups was evident in the survey results.
• There was a huge disproportion in the number of people at the party.
• The disproportion in their salaries was totally unfair.
• The disproportion in her emotions made it difficult for her to make a rational decision.

adjective allocating resources or opportunities fairly

• The company implemented an equitable pay scale to ensure fairness among all employees.
• They made sure everyone got their fair share with the new equitable system.
• The boss finally decided to spread the wealth more equitably.
• In the game of life, it's important to play by the rules and ensure an equitable outcome for all players.

noun the state of being extremely poor; extreme poverty

• The government implemented policies to address the issue of pauperism in the country.
• Many families in the neighborhood are struggling with pauperism.
• It's tough out there with all the pauperism going on.
• In a society driven by materialism, spiritual pauperism can also be a significant concern.

verb to make someone very poor; to impoverish

• The economic policies implemented by the government pauperized many citizens.
• The new laws really pauperized a lot of people, it's not fair.
• Those new regulations totally pauperized us, we're struggling to make ends meet now.
• The loss of her job pauperized her spirit, leaving her feeling empty and defeated.

noun a very small or inadequate amount of money paid to someone as an allowance or wage

• The workers were paid a mere pittance for their hard work.
• I can't believe they only paid us a pittance for all that overtime.
• They're only offering a pittance for this gig, it's not worth it.
• His contribution to the project was just a pittance compared to the efforts of the rest of the team.

noun A person whose power derives from their wealth

• The plutocrat amassed his wealth through strategic investments and business ventures.
• That plutocrat sure knows how to make money!
• The plutocrat is living the high life with all that cash.
• In the world of politics, the lobbyist is often seen as a plutocrat pulling the strings behind the scenes.

noun the lowest class of people

• The politician addressed the rabble gathered outside the government building.
• The rabble at the concert was getting rowdy.
• I can't believe that rabble caused a scene at the mall.
• The rabble of negative thoughts in her mind was overwhelming.

verb to change or distort in meaning or effect

adjective having an oblique or slanting direction or position

• The data analysis showed that the results were skewed due to outliers in the dataset.
• The survey results are a bit skewed because most of the participants were from the same age group.
• The movie ratings are totally skewed by fanboys who gave it all 10s.
• Her perception of reality is skewed by her past experiences.

noun a division of a society based on social and economic status

• Social class is often determined by a combination of factors such as income, education, and occupation.
• People in different social classes may have different lifestyles and opportunities.
• Your social class doesn't define your worth as a person.
• In the social class of the animal kingdom, the lion is considered the king.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb by providing information on how the action is performed or how something is described

• The paint was applied unevenly, resulting in a streaky finish.
• She cut the cake unevenly, but it still tasted delicious.
• The basketball court was paved so unevenly, it was like playing on a rollercoaster.
• Her emotions were distributed unevenly, with moments of extreme joy followed by deep sadness.

verb to make or become wider

adjective having a greater width

• The government is planning to fund a project for the widening of the highway.
• They're gonna make the road wider.
• They're gonna beef up the road.
• The divide between the two communities is widening.

noun a person or thing that has been lowered in social class or status

adjective a term used to describe someone or something that is considered to be of a lower social class or status than before

• The family's financial troubles caused them to feel declasse among their wealthy peers.
• She always avoided that declasse restaurant because she thought it was too tacky.
• I can't believe she's dating that declasse guy from high school.
• His outdated fashion sense made him look declasse compared to the stylish crowd.

noun a term used to describe individuals who are financially struggling but still aspire to a bourgeois lifestyle

• The poorgeoisie refers to the lower middle class who aspire to be part of the bourgeoisie.
• Some people call them the poorgeoisie, those who try to act like they are wealthy but are not.
• The poorgeoisie are always trying to keep up with the Joneses.
• In the world of social media, the poorgeoisie are constantly trying to project a lavish lifestyle they cannot afford.