1. to deprive someone of something necessary or valuable; to leave without
Usage: formal or literary; usually used in passive voice

1. people who are extremely poor and lack the basic necessities of life
Usage: plural form; formal or literary

Examples

• The war destitutes entire families of their homes and possessions.
• The charity works to help the destitutes in the city.
• Illness destitutes many people of their savings.
• The destitutes gathered at the shelter seeking food and warmth.
• Economic collapse destitutes thousands of their livelihoods.
• She devoted her life to serving the destitutes and forgotten.