Entry 1 sense Webster, 1913 Pauperism · Pau·per·ism · IPA 01 n. The state of being a pauper; the state of indigent persons requiring support from the community. 1. The state of being a pauper; the state of indigent persons requiring support from the community. Syn. Poverty; indigence; penury; want; need; destitution. See Poverty.