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Showing results for financial aid. Search instead for financial uncertainty.
Synonyms

financial aid

American  
[fi-nan-shuhl eyd, fahy-] / fɪˈnæn ʃəl ˈeɪd, faɪ- /

noun

  1. monetary support, as a loan or scholarship, that is used to pay for school, especially higher education.

    I don’t qualify for need-based financial aid, so I’ll have to hope I’m awarded a merit-based grant.

Etymology

Origin of financial aid

First recorded in 1770–80, for an earlier sense

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.

In November, he will represent a class of students suing elite schools including Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania in a jury trial over alleged price-fixing related to financial aid.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 10, 2026

The U.A.E. has reportedly been looking for financial aid External link from the U.S. as the war drains its finances.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

Lockwood hears from parents who wonder if saving for college penalizes them when it comes to financial aid.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

While prison sentences are virtually non-existent, failing to do so can also lead to an individual being made ineligible for federal student financial aid and federal jobs.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

After three years of struggling to pay my tuition out of pocket, we were finally able to apply for financial aid for my senior year.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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.