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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.

If colleges do not submit the data, the government can fine them under the Higher Education Act of 1965, which details requirements for colleges that receive federal financial aid for students, such as Pell Grants.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

In a Feb. 14 letter to Monique Limón, the California Senate’s president pro tem, Ms. Heriot argued that while the financial aid packages of two students can look similar, big differences may remain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

The biggest portion of the spending, 47.4%, went to student financial aid.

From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026

The crowdfunder asked for financial aid after medical costs had left the family "out of funds".

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Most of the students who did approach the table showed little interest in the financial aid and expressed little need for it.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

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.