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

While he described welfare as a necessary "safety net", he vowed to get thousands of economically inactive Scots back into work.

From BBC

As health care costs go up, the safety net for Americans living with HIV is getting smaller.

From Salon

Without stronger social safety nets — healthcare, pensions, unemployment support — households have little incentive to loosen their grip on cash.

From MarketWatch

Beijing’s continued push for a stronger social safety net will eventually pay dividends, but the piecemeal annual improvements simply won’t move the needle on consumer spending in the short term.

From The Wall Street Journal

Leaving care, without a family safety net, has consistently been found to be associated with higher levels of homelessness, unemployment and crime.

From BBC