social welfare
Americannoun
noun
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the various social services provided by a state for the benefit of its citizens
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(capitals) (in New Zealand) a government department concerned with pensions and benefits for the elderly, the sick, etc
Etymology
Origin of social welfare
First recorded in 1915–20
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I call this the social welfare state of two. We’ve privatized dependency within marriage.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026
The top priorities are boosting domestic demand and supporting social welfare, while property market stabilization has slipped down the agenda.
From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025
Other key targets in the new five-year policy blueprint included forging a unified national market, bolstering domestic consumption, improving social welfare and modernizing the armed forces.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025
Beyond direct health policy, differences in approaches to education, social welfare and economic equity also contribute to health disparities.
From Salon • Jul. 1, 2025
Helmuth graduates, and May finds him working at the Bieberhaus, the social welfare department at the City Hall.
From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
