assistance
Americannoun
noun
-
help; support
-
the act of assisting
-
informal See national assistance
Other Word Forms
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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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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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.
American assistance to Israel requires that Israel spend it almost entirely on American-made defense systems and weapons.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
My assistance never came, and the deodorant was never purchased.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
Shares dropped 1.4% last week after rising in early May on hopes that Tesla’s AI-trained Full Self Driving, or FSD, driver assistance product would be approved for sale in China.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
But the decision is not simple and should not be taken lightly, and the assistance you get while making it might steer you in the wrong direction.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
Anthony managed the business side while Stanton—with assistance from coeditor Parker Pillsbury, a former editor of the National Anti-Slavery Standard—handled the editorial content.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
