assistance
Americannoun
-
assistance
plural
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.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X that the residents would "receive the assistance they need."
From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2026
According to her firm’s research, less than a third of advisers whose clients have adult children talk with them about this type of assistance.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026
"At the same time, those who decide to remain will be able to stay and will receive all the necessary humanitarian assistance."
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Consumers can already buy the R2 with a universal hands-free driver assistance package.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Just then, the light indicating that a patient needs assistance lights up.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
