social work

American  

noun

1. organized work directed toward the betterment of social conditions in the community, as by seeking to improve the condition of people in poverty, to promote the welfare of children, etc.

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social work British  

noun

1. any of various social services designed to alleviate the conditions of the poor and aged and to increase the welfare of children

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Other Word Forms

• social worker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of social work

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social work

Schools that charge more than the new federal limits for degrees in fields that tend not to be high-paying — like journalism, teaching or social work — could face significant obstacles in recruiting students.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

“I owe more in student debt than I owe on my house,” said Durkee, a resident of Medford, N.J., who has a master’s degree in social work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Walton-Cole says access issues like these were a "massive factor" in her decision to leave social work "because there's just too many barriers in the court system".

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

“I can count on one hand the number of repairs I’ve needed and I’ve never been stranded,” said Gleeson, a former software engineer who is now working toward a master’s degree in social work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

None of that would have been so daunting if the worst thing in the world was not about to happen: Ms. Sandnes was leaving to get her master’s degree in social work!

From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter