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

For Americans who grimace at the thought of “big government,” this distanced Social Security from public assistance or welfare.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Much of the evidence circulating online about Haredi dependence on public assistance comes from reporting I helped produce as founder of the activist organization Yaffed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

As a community college student and single parent receiving public assistance, she is also eligible for additional support including meal vouchers and grocery gift cards.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2025

Combined with threats to federal funding for public assistance, it has been too much for many of them to bear, she said.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 2025

They’ll decide if you’re desperate enough for the public assistance or if you’re sick enough to see a doctor.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt