social welfare
Americannoun
noun
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the various social services provided by a state for the benefit of its citizens
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(capitals) (in New Zealand) a government department concerned with pensions and benefits for the elderly, the sick, etc
Etymology
Origin of social welfare
First recorded in 1915–20
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.
"I'm calling for a social welfare response where police are engaged, social services are engaged, and in extreme circumstances young people may be denied of their liberties but only in extreme circumstances," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
CPS workers—who are often referred to in low-income communities as “the family police”—are tasked with addressing social welfare needs after they’ve already lost the trust of families by intimidating and judging them during investigations.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
The party is also calling for higher investments in public services and social welfare and criticizing past tax cuts for the wealthy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
At UCLA, the master’s of social welfare — which runs for eight quarter sessions — amounts to more than $65,000 for California residents without financial aid.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
National dignitaries, social welfare workers, and government investigators descend on the leprosarium after reading A. H. Lacson’s articles.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
