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
For centuries, spectacular hats have been woven into the social fabric of Royal Ascot.
—
Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
There have been undeniably positive effects from the social media explosion at the turn of the century.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 19 June 2026
Many feel disrespected by the social safety net.
—Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
One poster on the social commentary site Reddit described waiting for a month to see an oncologist after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026
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.
Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 19 June 2026
There have been undeniably positive effects from the social media explosion at the turn of the century.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 19 June 2026
Many feel disrespected by the social safety net.
—Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
One poster on the social commentary site Reddit described waiting for a month to see an oncologist after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026
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 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
