safety net

American  

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.

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safety net British  

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• safety-net
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of safety net

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

The homes serve as a high-end safety net for seniors who move away but can’t easily duplicate decadeslong relationships with their top-tier medical providers.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

By stripping away that maturity safety net, the ETF wrapper can leave investors with continuous exposure to interest-rate volatility and turn what’s designed to be an inflation shield into a more speculative market trade.

From MarketWatch • May 27, 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

She had said it was better to own property rather than cash but he suspected that, for her, it was a safety net in case Port Harcourt fell.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie