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

First, the pandemic-era safety net: The Biden administration’s emergency funding supercharged Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act exchanges, adding coverage to millions of people and slashing the national uninsured rate.

From The Wall Street Journal

“European countries differ significantly from the U.S. in terms of demographics, health care systems, social safety nets, and public health infrastructure, all of which shape their policy choices.”

From Salon

We have seen a raft of well-intentioned policy proposals designed for this scenario, including a universal basic income and a more robust social safety net.

From MarketWatch

But in the real U.S. healthcare system, it looks much more like a high-risk social experiment with no safety net.

From MarketWatch

It will also bring changes to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — the three gargantuan federal programs that make up the social safety net on which tens of millions of people depend.

From MarketWatch