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.
Residents on Heol Berry, where the flooding took place, were also told they will be offered assistance with temporary housing.
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026
For these drivers, alarms, large display screens and automated driving assistance aren’t helpful features.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
A wheel rolled over his left foot, causing a serious injury that required medical assistance, a witness told SFist.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said they were "urgently working to verify and understand the situation" and said Beijing was willing to provide assistance to Pakistan.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
As a certified nursing assistant, or a CNA for short, she figured there’d never be a shortage of sick folks needing assistance.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
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.
