assistance

noun

as·​sis·​tance ə-ˈsi-stən(t)s 

: the act of helping or assisting someone or the help supplied : aid

financial and technical assistance

Can I be of any assistance? [=can I help you?]

Synonyms of assistance

• assist
• support
• help
• boost
• aid
• encouragement

Examples of assistance in a Sentence

Any assistance you can give me would be appreciated.

I'll be happy to provide you with whatever assistance you may need.

Recent Examples on the Web

The parachutist was able to leave the area without assistance. —Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 3 Jan. 2026

The search was carried out by a Coast Guard plane that took off from California, a vessel in the area that belonged to the Coast Guard's emergency assistance system and three other nearby vessels that were asked to help. —Joe Walsh, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026

People of Somali descent working in autism services, child care, and elder assistance, three areas that have recently been hit with accusations of foul play, donate tens of thousands of dollars to Somali politicians in Minnesota each year, all of them Democrats. —Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 2 Jan. 2026

Many saw the drive as a symbolic milestone, suggesting that advanced driver-assistance systems are becoming capable of handling long-distance, real-world travel with minimal human input. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English assistence, assistance, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin assistentia "presence, participation, guidance," going back to Late Latin, "aid," noun derivative of Latin assistent-, assistens, present participle of assistere "to take up a position near, stand by, stand by as a supporter or advocate" — more at assist entry 1

Note: In the case of both this word and assistant Modern English has chosen the French form with -a- in the suffix rather than Latin -e-.

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing assistance

• come to someone's assistance
• directory assistance
• go on public assistance
• of (any) assistance
• public assistance
• writ of assistance

Rhymes for assistance

• consistence
• desistance
• existence
• insistence
• persistence
• resistance
• subsistence
• coexistence
• nonexistence
• distance
• magnetoresistance

Kids Definition

assistance

noun

as·​sis·​tance ə-ˈsis-tən(t)s 

: the act of assisting

also : the help given