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
Videos circulating on the social media platform X appeared to show people on the beach and nearby park scattering as multiple gunshots and police sirens could be heard.
—
Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive.
—Emma Sandler, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025
Research in the social sciences has long since proved the value of high-quality classroom discourse.
—Niral Shah, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
The makeup brand has tapped R&B songstress Mariah the Scientist to front its newest Tube Job Mascara campaign, which has debuted exclusively on TikTok Shop, making Urban Decay the first brand within L’Oréal’s Luxe division to foray onto the social commerce platform.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 15 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.
Michael Collins, USA Today, 15 Dec. 2025
The revelation quickly made headlines, and the social-media peanut gallery was sharply derisive.
—Emma Sandler, Vogue, 15 Dec. 2025
Research in the social sciences has long since proved the value of high-quality classroom discourse.
—Niral Shah, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
The makeup brand has tapped R&B songstress Mariah the Scientist to front its newest Tube Job Mascara campaign, which has debuted exclusively on TikTok Shop, making Urban Decay the first brand within L’Oréal’s Luxe division to foray onto the social commerce platform.
—Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 15 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 22 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share