safety net

noun

1. a large net rigged between a person, as a trapeze performer, and the ground as protection in a fall.
2. something that provides a margin of protection or security:

   the safety net of federal credit for financial institutions.

safety net

noun

1. a net used in a circus to catch high-wire and trapeze artistes if they fall
2. any means of protection from hardship or loss, such as insurance

Other Words From

• safety-net adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of safety net¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The family of a man who died after he repeatedly banged his head against a wall in a mental health suite said there was no "safety net" for people with their son's needs.

From BBC

In total, spending on social security is up by £800m - highlighting a key feature of devolved government, in the SNP’s appetite for big state interventions and welfare safety nets.

From BBC

St. Denis Medical is a safety net hospital in a medium-sized town in Oregon.

From Salon

The financial crisis hit and everyone in America saw the wisdom of having at least a portion of their old age or disability safety net guaranteed by the government instead of Wall Street.

From Salon

Heymann echoes that point, calling the agency “a safety net” for the country and the world when it comes to infectious disease.

From Science Magazine