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
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 Tori Otten 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
Ellie Wolfe Examples of social service in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The school also is connected to social services and known to teachers across Kenya, including in the far west where Wairimu is from.
—ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The Hortas were horrified to learn that Tania Hernandez, the owner of the small house where their friend was going hungry, was a social services worker for the state charged with the mission of saving frail, elderly and disabled adults like Rabell.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Sessions take place wherever a client's life already happens, with active referral partnerships spanning nonprofits, schools, social service agencies, clinics, and insurance providers.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
International comparisons cited to justify the benefit cap are misleading because national pension systems are structurally diverse, with some countries providing universal healthcare, government childcare, and other social services that the United States does not offer.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
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ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The Hortas were horrified to learn that Tania Hernandez, the owner of the small house where their friend was going hungry, was a social services worker for the state charged with the mission of saving frail, elderly and disabled adults like Rabell.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Sessions take place wherever a client's life already happens, with active referral partnerships spanning nonprofits, schools, social service agencies, clinics, and insurance providers.
—Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
International comparisons cited to justify the benefit cap are misleading because national pension systems are structurally diverse, with some countries providing universal healthcare, government childcare, and other social services that the United States does not offer.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for social service
Cite this Entry
“Social service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20service. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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