social welfare

noun

1. social services provided by a government for its citizens.

social welfare

noun

1. the various social services provided by a state for the benefit of its citizens

2. (capitals) (in New Zealand) a government department concerned with pensions and benefits for the elderly, the sick, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of social welfare¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

According to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, the bill’s cuts to social welfare programs will result in approximately 17 million Americans losing health coverage.

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Beyond direct health policy, differences in approaches to education, social welfare and economic equity also contribute to health disparities.

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Frederiksen argued that migration levels threatened social cohesion and social welfare, with the poorest Danes losing out the most.

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Over the years she has been convicted of multiple offences and was sentenced to three years in prison earlier in 2025 for social welfare fraud.

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To tackle its ailing economy and weak domestic demand, Beijing wrapped up its annual National People's Congress last week with increased investment in social welfare programmes as part of its grand economic plan for 2025.

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