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

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Etymology

Origin of social work

First recorded in 1915–20

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

social work

They dug into the results for “occupations where we absolutely need them in society,” but where “we know the earnings are really low,” like education and social work, Velez said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Kushner, now 80, graduated from college and pursued a career in family planning and social work.

From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026

"The savings will come from shedding social work jobs, which will just put more pressure on the system."

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

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

They worked on efficiency badges in sports, Nazi ideology, nursing, household training, social work, and later, air-raid training.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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