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

That could include in-home care for seniors, hiring more staff to determine food stamp eligibility requirements and support for the First 5 Commission of San Diego, a social services program for pre-kindergarten children. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2025

Denmark has universal prenatal care and strong social services. —Lena H. Sun, Arkansas Online, 21 Dec. 2025

Researchers looked at more than 40 social service case files of minors who were trafficked and interviewed social service workers. —Anne P. Deprince, The Conversation, 17 Dec. 2025

Among social services positions, individual and family services, a category that includes services for the elderly and disabled people, were the fastest-growing category last month. —Steve Kopack, NBC news, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for social service

• interservice
• disservice
• preservice
• nervous
• nervus