safety net
Americannoun
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a large net rigged between a person, as a trapeze performer, and the ground as protection in a fall.
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something that provides a margin of protection or security.
the safety net of federal credit for financial institutions.
noun
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a net used in a circus to catch high-wire and trapeze artistes if they fall
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any means of protection from hardship or loss, such as insurance
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of safety net
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
These med-à-terres are a safety net for seniors who are finding that, while they can export wealth, they can’t easily duplicate relationships with top-tier oncologists or cardiologists.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
It prompts me to be less attentive, because I perceive the notetaker as a safety net.
From Slate • May 24, 2026
Instead, it would be far wiser for policymakers to focus on directly strengthening the social safety net, so every patient has equitable access to treatments without financial hardship.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
How many children were left without a safety net in the time we dilly dallied and worried about tech bosses?
From BBC • May 12, 2026
The middle ring had a huge safety net stretched across it.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
