public assistance

American  

[puhb-lik uh-sis-tuhns] / ˈpʌb lɪk əˈsɪs təns /

noun

1. government aid to poor, disabled, or aged people or to dependent children, as financial assistance or food stamps.

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public assistance British  

noun

1. payment given to individuals by government agencies on the basis of need

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Other Word Forms

• public-assistance
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of public assistance

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public assistance

States consider whether recovering the Medicaid costs would cause the heir severe financial hardship, like leaving them destitute or forcing them to rely on public assistance.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

Tax revenue has grown steadily in recent years but has failed to keep up with ballooning costs in areas including the city’s rental-voucher program and public assistance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026

Detectives are asking for public assistance to help locate the 5-foot-7, 104-pound suspect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025

According to the National Association of Counties, 40 percent of home health aides live in low-income neighborhoods and rely on some form of public assistance; 30 percent of them are on Medicaid themselves.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2025

But she knew she couldn’t make it out on public assistance.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times