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.
Marquez has made preserving the county’s safety net services a tenet of her term in office. Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Before the Seventies, New York’s social safety net was relatively robust. Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 The data also suggests there may be some truth in the argument that referees are reluctant to commit to decisions given the existence of VAR’s safety net. Graham Scott, New York Times, 2 June 2026 One school of thought holds that high levels of immigration and a robust social safety net are incompatible; natives don’t want to share their nation’s generosity with foreigners. Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026 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 6 Jun. 2026.

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