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Showing results for financial aid. Search instead for financial credit.
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.

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

Join MarketWatch for a live talk and Q&A on negotiating financial aid, managing loans and more.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

But the options vary in how much control they give, and can have important implications for taxes and financial aid.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 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

And I went to the financial aid office on campus and was handed special forms for minority student applicants.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

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.