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.

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foreign aid British  

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

• foreign-aid adjective

Etymology

Origin of foreign aid

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Taliban officials have vowed to restore security and are courting foreign investors to secure crucial revenue streams as foreign aid funding dries up.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

With Gaza's economy nearly paralyzed, education is expected to rely on foreign aid for the foreseeable future.

From Science Daily • Jan. 11, 2026

The economy is highly dependent on foreign aid and tourists.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 27, 2025

In response to a detailed list of questions, a senior State Department official said fast, drastic changes to foreign aid were necessary to reform a “calcified system.”

From Salon • Dec. 16, 2025

They took him immediately to Thysville, which is about a hundred kilometers south of Léopoldville over the best road in this nation, repaved recently with a grant of foreign aid.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver