foreign aid

American  

noun

1. economic, technical, or military aid given by one nation to another for purposes of relief and rehabilitation, for economic stabilization, or for mutual defense.

---

foreign aid British  

noun

1. economic and other assistance given by one country to another

---

Other Word Forms

• foreign-aid
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of foreign aid

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

foreign aid

The 26th International Aids Conference opened this week in Rio de Janeiro against the backdrop of deep US cuts to foreign aid introduced after President Donald Trump's return to the White House last year.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Taliban authorities have vowed to boost economic self-sufficiency and move off a reliance on foreign aid, which once formed the backbone of the previous US-backed government's finances.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

On Friday, Venezuelans welcomed the arrival of foreign aid workers, who were seen digging through the vast piles of collapsed concrete.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Nowhere has that crisis been more visible than with foreign aid.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026

Many governments, agencies, and foundations base their policies, foreign aid, and loans on this explanation, by making the development of good institutions in poor countries their top priority.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond