social welfare

noun

: organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups
specifically : social work

Examples of social welfare in a Sentence

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.
The New York state assemblyman secured his position atop the Democratic ticket by campaigning on affordability and social welfare, outpacing Cuomo, who had based his campaign on experience and combating antisemitism. Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025 Other researchers have found that women governors, more than their male counterparts, are associated with drops in CO2 emissions, greater attention to social welfare policies and swifter and more aggressive reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic. Kelly Dittmar, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 Despite intense lobbying by labor unions, progressive federal administrators, and African-American organizations, a national health insurance system was not among the sweeping social welfare reforms enacted as part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Time, 6 May 2025 Those are countries that have very strong social welfare systems. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for social welfare

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of social welfare was in 1912

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Cite this Entry

“Social welfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20welfare. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

social welfare

noun
social wel·​fare -ˈwel-ˌfa(ə)r, -ˌfe(ə)r How to pronounce social welfare (audio)
: organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups
specifically : social work

More from Merriam-Webster on social welfare

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