assistance
Americannoun
noun
-
help; support
-
the act of assisting
-
informal See national assistance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of assistance
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English assistence, from Medieval Latin assistentia; assist + -ance
Explanation
If you see a blind man having trouble crossing the street, offer him some assistance. Lending a hand is just one way of providing assistance. Assistance is a noun that means to help or aid. It's the noun form for the verb to assist. Homes for the elderly are sometimes called "assisted living facilities" because they provide assistance to older folks who might need assistance getting in and out of bed, or feeding themselves. If you're in a store and no one is helping you, call a manager and ask for assistance. However, if you like to shop, you probably won't need any assistance spending money.
Vocabulary lists containing assistance
List 5
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List 3
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said his son has cerebral palsy and a seizure disorder, and relies on assistance to live with dignity.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Raman pushed back on that narrative, saying she provided key assistance to Bass in 2022, helping her defeat real estate developer Rick Caruso.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Only after her plight was the centerpiece of a Las Vegas Sun article about public assistance did the welfare department set her up with a sewing class.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
On March 6, 1971, a few thousand people marched down the Las Vegas Strip, clogging the glitzy artery through which the city’s money flowed, to protest cuts to public assistance for the poor.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
He cried and cried, and finally looked at my young self, then at Thomas for assistance.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
