welfare state

noun

|Updated on: 5 Aug 2018

Examples: welfare state in a Sentence

Definition of welfare state

1 : a social system based on the assumption by a political state of primary responsibility for the individual and social welfare of its citizens

2 : a nation or state characterized by the operation of the welfare state system

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See welfare state defined for kids

Examples of welfare state in a Sentence

supporters of the welfare state

Recent Examples of welfare state from the Web

Governments supported by a strong national identification can redistribute resources and build welfare states more easily.

— nikita lalwani, Washington Post, "When is nationalism a good thing? When it unites an ethnically diverse citizenry," 26 June 2018
The collapse of the oil price in the 1980s and 1990s weakened a stable social democracy, hollowing out its welfare state, causing bank failures and exposing corruption.

— The Economist, "The price of electing saviours in Latin America," 27 June 2018
But the Trump administration does pose a specific threat to the welfare state.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "Lessons From the Gilded Age," 13 June 2018
In fact, both Bulgaria and Austria, which on July 1 took over the E.U. presidency, are currently ruled by coalitions of the center-right and the far-right that support retrenchment of the welfare state and tough stances on migration.

— julia rone, Washington Post, "Bulgaria’s turn to lead the Council of the European Union just ended. How did things go?," 5 July 2018
With a general election approaching next year, the Social Democrat party has shifted to the right on immigration, saying tougher measures are necessary to protect the welfare state.

— martin selsoe sorensen, The Seattle Times, "Harsh new laws for immigrant ‘ghettos’ in Denmark," 2 July 2018
Danes pay some of the world’s highest taxes to sustain their welfare state and have little tolerance for tax evasion and disrespect for rules.

— martin selsoe sorensen, New York Times, "Where Danes Butt Heads (Politely) With Their Leaders," 23 June 2018
The welfare state eventually emerged from this struggle.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "Lessons From the Gilded Age," 13 June 2018
Those are some of the main pillars of the welfare state.

— sarah jones, The New Republic, "Lessons From the Gilded Age," 13 June 2018

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

First Known Use of welfare state

1894

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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WELFARE STATE Defined for English Language Learners

welfare state

noun

Definition of welfare state for English Language Learners

: a social system in which a government is responsible for the economic and social welfare of its citizens and has policies to provide free health care, money for people without jobs, etc.; also : a country that has such a system