the social
noun
British, somewhat informal
: money provided by a government program to people who are unable to work because they are old, disabled, or unemployed
He's living on the social now.
Examples of the social in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the second half of the season 41 finale airs Wednesday, footage from the end of the episode was uploaded on TikTok with no spoiler warning over the weekend and remained on the social media app for almost two days.
—
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Dec. 2025
In a July 29 post to the social media platform, Minniear included snaps of himself and some picturesque locations, as well as a shot of Goulding lying nude in bed with her arm, side and thigh visible but face mostly obstructed.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The 2017 tax reform had no effect on migration because the social cost of moving is high – especially for people at the peak of their careers who are enjoying the many social benefits of economic success.
—Cristobal Young, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
The prevailing Romantic view was that passion disrupted the social order, and so had to be denied.
—Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the social
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.
Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Dec. 2025
In a July 29 post to the social media platform, Minniear included snaps of himself and some picturesque locations, as well as a shot of Goulding lying nude in bed with her arm, side and thigh visible but face mostly obstructed.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025
The 2017 tax reform had no effect on migration because the social cost of moving is high – especially for people at the peak of their careers who are enjoying the many social benefits of economic success.
—Cristobal Young, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
The prevailing Romantic view was that passion disrupted the social order, and so had to be denied.
—Merve Emre, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the social
Cite this Entry
“The social.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20social. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share