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public charge

American

noun

a person who is in economic distress and is supported at government expense.

He assured the American consul that the prospective immigrant would not become a public charge.

Etymology

Origin of public charge

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

See Examples For:

public charge

The range of electric cars has improved, as has the number of public charge points.

From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025

Prices can vary a lot when using public charge points, depending on factors including the speed of the charger and the time of day.

From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025

As Dominguez made her rounds on Main Street, she repeatedly reassured people: “It’s not a public charge for the government.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2023

Many immigrants are confused about what benefits and aid programs they can receive without being designated a public charge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2023

Deserted by Lord Minden, she descended in the scale of vice,—for years she lived in obscurity,—she was buried at the public charge.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846 by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023