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
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.
Justice Anthony Kennedy’s original opinion, written in 2015, emphasized ideas about individual autonomy, safeguarding children and families, and maintaining the social order. E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025 Britney Spears returned to Instagram on Saturday, less than a week after the singer deactivated her account following a series of concerning posts on the social media site. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025 In Wednesday's episode of the reality competition series, the three tribes merged into one as the social strategic game entered its second phase and alliances were truly tested. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025 This seems likely to change our society at least as much as the social-media era has. Damon Beres, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the social

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The social.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20social. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!