welfare

wel·fare | \ ˈwel-ˌfer

Definition of welfare

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the state of doing well especially in respect to good fortune, happiness, well-being, or prosperity must look out for your own welfare

2a : aid in the form of money or necessities for those in need

b : an agency or program through which such aid is distributed

welfare

adjective

Definition of welfare (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or concerned with welfare and especially with improvement of the welfare of disadvantaged social groups welfare legislation

2 : receiving public welfare benefits welfare families

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about welfare

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Examples of welfare in a Sentence

Noun He wants to do away with welfare. I have your welfare at heart. The welfare of all the orphans was at stake. She donates to organizations concerned about animal welfare.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The word emergency is described in state law as a circumstance that will likely result in harm to a person’s health, safety, or welfare. — Ivana Hrynkiw | Ihrynkiw@al.com, al, "Legal battle rages over Golden Flake queen’s competency, ability to make decisions on fortune," 29 Dec. 2019 Her role is key in the child welfare world: to ensure a healthy pregnancy for low-income mothers at risk of poor outcomes and to get their firstborns off to a healthy start. — Mary Jo Pitzl, Arizona Republic, "Faces of child welfare | Catrina Popelier: 'You take care of the mom, you take care of the baby'," 24 Dec. 2019 Two Denver property owners must defend their short-term rental licenses next month, testing a new rule that the licenses can be revoked if a property harms the public health, safety or welfare of a neighborhood. — Conrad Swanson, The Denver Post, "A new city rule is tested as 2 Denver property owners must defend their short-term rental licenses," 23 Dec. 2019 As Americans prepare to watch their favorite Thanksgiving football matchups, these important public health questions regarding the welfare of children demand answers. — Lisa Kearns, STAT, "Concussions, broken bones, and more: a week of football in the U.S.," 27 Nov. 2019 There’s an irony in the technological erosion of general welfare, because innovations so often promise to benefit our lives—sometimes by improving public safety explicitly. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "Technology Sabotaged Public Safety," 10 Oct. 2019 This augurs poorly for the welfare of American physicians. — Kunal Sindhu, Quartz, "The US is on the verge of a devastating, but avoidable doctor shortage," 30 July 2019 Dwight Eisenhower embraced some New Deal policies, expanding Social Security and supporting low-income housing, while Richard Nixon tried to expand federal support for child welfare. — John Broich, The Conversation, "The difference between ‘left’ and ‘liberal’ – and why voters need to know," 30 July 2019 Aside from changing federal laws to provide more protection for animals, Hulebak stressed fostering as one of the most important ways to help alleviate Houston's animal welfare problem. — Rebecca Hennes, Houston Chronicle, "Before and after: Houston dog rescued on the brink of death gets a new life," 3 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Even overtly welfare-ish Medicaid payments—originally intended to provide care for poor children—now go largely to long-term care for mainly middle-class elderly. — Eric B. Schnurer, The Atlantic, "'It's the Grandparents Stealing From the Grandchildren'," 12 Dec. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'welfare.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.