Penury

/ˈpɛn.jə.ri/ noun hard

Penury describes a state of severe want, in which a person lacks even basic necessities.

After the factory closed, entire families in the town slid into penury within a single winter.

Memory Trick

Penury sounds like 'pen-less-ury' - imagine someone so poor they can't even afford a pen, the most basic of tools.