: an examination into the financial state of a person to determine eligibility for public assistance
Examples of means test in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Two stringent legal tests in California, the ABC test and the manner and means test (also known as the Borello test), set an exceedingly high bar for someone to be categorized as a contractor working for a company based in the state, according to employment lawyers who spoke with The Post.
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Washington Post, 4 May 2022
This means tests can be extremely fast, running in under 60 seconds.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2020
Even Haley’s proposal to increase the retirement age and means test benefits won’t sit well with millions of Americans who count on and support these two universal social insurance programs that have done so much to alleviate the challenges of old age.
—Julian Zelizer, CNN, 9 Mar. 2023
Congress could means test Social Security to extend the program’s fiscal runway.
—Cameron Smith | Csmith@al.com, al, 12 Feb. 2023
One reason was plainly the rigors of the means test, which required documentation of income, assets and in-kind support and inquiry into living arrangements.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
But there are ways to make the necessary adjustments to achieve equity without destroying their status as universal programs and therefore their broad popularity or by implementing a means test.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
And while Manchin has toyed with the idea of including a means test, so far that’s not on the table and the credit would be fully refundable.
—Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2021
An amount equivalent to £26 or $36 today was paid weekly to those over 70 who passed a means test.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 June 2021
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Washington Post, 4 May 2022
This means tests can be extremely fast, running in under 60 seconds.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 May 2020
Even Haley’s proposal to increase the retirement age and means test benefits won’t sit well with millions of Americans who count on and support these two universal social insurance programs that have done so much to alleviate the challenges of old age.
—Julian Zelizer, CNN, 9 Mar. 2023
Congress could means test Social Security to extend the program’s fiscal runway.
—Cameron Smith | Csmith@al.com, al, 12 Feb. 2023
One reason was plainly the rigors of the means test, which required documentation of income, assets and in-kind support and inquiry into living arrangements.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
But there are ways to make the necessary adjustments to achieve equity without destroying their status as universal programs and therefore their broad popularity or by implementing a means test.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
And while Manchin has toyed with the idea of including a means test, so far that’s not on the table and the credit would be fully refundable.
—Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2021
An amount equivalent to £26 or $36 today was paid weekly to those over 70 who passed a means test.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 June 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'means test.' 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
1930, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near means test
Cite this Entry
“Means test.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/means%20test. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.
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