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social work
noun
: any of various professional activities or methods concretely concerned with providing social services and especially with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged
social worker
noun
Examples of social work in a Sentence
She is doing social work.
He has a job in social work.
Recent Examples on the Web
Saliba, in the school of social work, and others criticized Shafik, including for her testimony before Congress Wednesday.
—Melissa Chan, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
The Novo Nordisk Foundation typically awards grants worth DKK 5 billion ($730 million) each year in the fields of science and social work.
—Chris Morris, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024
Pucci graduated with a master’s degree in social work from New York University in 2002 and failed the licensure test five times.
—Petula Dvorak, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
The third recipient, a mother of four and survivor of domestic abuse, is working on an associate’s degree in social work at Cuyamaca College.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
That trauma likely stems from physical and emotional violence against Muslims and Arabs that has become commonplace, says Tarek Zidan, an assistant professor of social work at Indiana University who specializes in Arab and Muslim American mental health.
—Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024
Emergency services, social work, counseling, maybe vagabondry.
—Lisa Bubert, Longreads, 27 Feb. 2024
Rhodes brought a more traditional social work perspective to the research.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024
Simon, who has a master’s degree in social work from Morgan State University, founded BTST Services in 2008, inspired by a job working as a mentor in group homes.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'social work.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near social work
Cite this Entry
“Social work.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20work. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
social work
noun
: any of various professional activities or methods concerned especially with providing services (as counseling, job training, or financial assistance) designed to promote social well-being (as of the economically disadvantaged)
social worker
noun
Medical Definition
social work
noun
: any of various professional services, activities, or methods concretely concerned with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged
More from Merriam-Webster on social work
Nglish: Translation of social work for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about social work
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