social service

noun

plural social services

: a program or effort designed to promote human or societal well-being

specifically : organized help for people who are in need of assistance with basic needs (such as food, housing, safety, or job training) or with medical needs (such as addiction or mental illness)

—usually plural

Most states are struggling with skimpy resources and a system of uncoordinated social services that is totally inadequate to serve a population of individuals whose needs are bottomless.

—Constance Holden

… attacked the idea of social services, claiming that the only entity entitled to provide care is the church, not the government.

—Tori Otten

—often used before another noun

social service agencies

Until the bridge's closure, the island hosted and supported social service programs including homeless shelters and an addiction recovery campus.

—Ellie Wolfe

Examples of social service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those teachers reached out to social services. — Latif Love june 26, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026

Along with criminal enforcement, the sheriff's department takes a role with social services and revenue as well. — Tara Molina, CBS News, 25 June 2026

Foundations, advocacy groups, social service agencies and membership associations are all exploring what AI can do for their missions, from automating grant reporting and predicting donor churn to personalizing volunteer outreach. — Penta Rao Marapatla, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

That measure is intended to help pay for county social services programs, such as food assistance and health care, efforts to resolve the Tijuana River Valley sewage crisis, and staffing, equipment and infrastructure for public safety agencies. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for social service

• interservice
• disservice
• preservice
• nervous
• nervus