assistance
Americannoun
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assistance
plural
noun
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help; support
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the act of assisting
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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.
After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, his foundation pumped more than $800 million toward Ukrainian food assistance, demining operations and war-crime investigations, among other causes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
"In India, with your assistance, chip design, manufacturing, equipment manufacturing, material ecosystem, testing capability -- we worked at all of it, at the same time, and have achieved success in it."
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Assistance included air purifiers, air conditioners, masks, grocery gift cards, cash assistance offers, temporary relocation and assistance paying utility bills, which rose for many as their electricity needs increased, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
India in July approved a new semiconductor programme, offering more than $13 billion in financial assistance to expand domestic chip production and build a wider semiconductor ecosystem.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Pocahontas, her husband John Rolfe, and their son Thomas, were taken to England by Sir Thomas Dale to promote the James Town colony and help Dale get financial assistance.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
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.
