welfare state

noun

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

Examples of welfare state in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If its welfare state is too cushy, or its climate policies too green – well, nobody’s perfect. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026

Should the welfare state extend its embrace? —Colton Valentine, New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2026

This trend has been coupled with a gradual shrinking of the welfare state. —Miranda Sheild Johansson, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026

And while its social-welfare state was dismantled and degraded, its corporate welfare state survived and thrived, helping create the unequal metropolis Mamdani is called upon to govern. —Daniel Wortel-London, Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for welfare state

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

welfare state

noun

: a social system in which the government takes on much of the responsibility for the individual and group welfare of its people