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

Her path began in public health, advocating for children and families and ensuring access to quality social services and health care. —Wakisha Bailey, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026

The 63-year-old social services worker, who lives in rural Illinois, said her monthly premium payments more than doubled, from roughly $1,100 to $2,333, for a plan with a $10,150 out-of-pocket maximum. —Sam Whitehead, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2026

Companies building these tools increasingly employ frontline workers — the ones who actually understand what’s broken in healthcare or social services — to ensure they are highly customised for their specific needs. —Alex Stephany, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026

Few cooling centers were open and social service groups had to scramble to distribute water to people who couldn't seek shelter. —Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for social service

• interservice
• disservice
• preservice
• nervous
• nervus