assistance
Americannoun
noun
-
help; support
-
the act of assisting
-
informal See national assistance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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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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.
The World Bank, meanwhile, forecasts that by the early 2040s, the number of Thais over 80 who need assistance will increase sixfold to around 2.5 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
If we are “Five-Star”-fortunate, we can hire assistance to handle the inevitable difficulties associated with this time of life, whether that means groundskeepers or divorce lawyers.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
The European Union has said it is deploying four specialised water-bombing planes to Spain and three to France to help fight the fires there after the two countries requested assistance.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
Members of the public have been urged to avoid areas affected by the wildfires, after reports that some people who travelled to them needed emergency rescue assistance.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Would they come with him and render assistance to his friends, many of whom were lying trapped beneath the cart, crying out for help?
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
