public assistance

American  

[puhb-lik uh-sis-tuhns] / ˈpʌb lɪk əˈsɪs təns /

noun

1. government aid to poor, disabled, or aged people or to dependent children, as financial assistance or food stamps.

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public assistance British  

noun

1. payment given to individuals by government agencies on the basis of need

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Other Word Forms

• public-assistance
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public assistance

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Only after her plight was the centerpiece of a Las Vegas Sun article about public assistance did the welfare department set her up with a sewing class.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

For Americans who grimace at the thought of “big government,” this distanced Social Security from public assistance or welfare.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Detectives are asking for public assistance to help locate the 5-foot-7, 104-pound suspect.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025

Thrown back into the job market, Curtis only received a handful of interviews from her 200 applications and ended up seeking public assistance like SNAP, Medicaid and unemployment benefits.

From Salon • May 3, 2025

Bridey Hannon told Mam that Mrs. Meagher is in a constant state of shame over the rags they wear and so desperate she goes down to the Dispensary for the public assistance.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt