public assistance

noun

: government aid to needy, aged, or disabled persons and to dependent children

Examples of public assistance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His wife, Clara, and their children barely survived on the pittance of aid provided to those who signed up for public assistance, while Elijah fruitlessly begged at factory doors for any kind of job. Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 1 Dec. 2024 The administrator said the figure includes $3 billion for individual assistance and $1.7 billion for public assistance. Aris Folley, The Hill, 20 Nov. 2024 The popular debit cards that Medicare Advantage plans give older adults as a perk for signing up may be cutting off their access to some public assistance because of conflicting interpretations on what counts as income. Maya Goldman, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 According to a top immigration expert and former immigration judge, the administration’s border bungling has let in up to 1 million migrant children, many now in public schools and receiving public assistance. Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for public assistance 

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of public assistance was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near public assistance

Cite this Entry

“Public assistance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20assistance. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on public assistance

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!