safety net

noun

: something that provides security against misfortune or difficulty

Examples of safety net in a Sentence

The program provides a safety net for people who have lost their jobs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most new users will get the $1,500 first bet safety net. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025 As a key pillar of the nation’s safety net, SNAP provides enrollees with an average monthly benefit of $188 per person, as of May. CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025 Danielle Lawrence, executive director of Mutual Assistance Network, works to ensure the social safety net supports poor and working-class families in Arden Arcade, Del Paso Heights and other North Sacramento neighborhoods. Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025 China's lack of a robust social safety net made the decision for her. John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for safety net

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of safety net was in 1877

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Safety net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety%20net. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!