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

• safety-net
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of safety net

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

It has also moved slowly in beefing up its social safety net so people have more confidence to spend rather than save.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

“This is a time when the safety net starts to come off,” said Bobbi Rebell, consumer-finance expert at CardRates.com and author of a book titled “Launching Financial Grownups.”

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

“To get through those intense moments and access further emotions, I want to have a safety net, so I feel capable of taking those risks,” says Campbell.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

"These networks act as a safety net," explained Burke.

From Science Daily • Apr. 28, 2026

This story is the safety net above which he swoops and dives like a brilliant clown in a bankrupt circus.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy