safety net

noun

: something that provides security against misfortune or difficulty

Examples of safety net in a Sentence

The program provides a safety net for people who have lost their jobs.
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.
In some high-profile cases, people with disabilities have been reportedly pushed towards suicide; euthanasia has arguably been used in the place of a social safety net. The Week, theweek, 10 Nov. 2024 The reverberations will be felt far beyond Washington, D.C., and could include an erosion of the Affordable Care Act’s consumer protections, the imposition of work requirements in Medicaid and funding cuts to the safety net insurance, and challenges to federal agencies that safeguard public health. Rachel Reiff Ellis, Fortune Well, 6 Nov. 2024 Darius, meanwhile, favors an approach that provides a large safety net for more people, including health care for all Americans. Marquise Francis, NBC News, 2 Nov. 2024 This approach could provide a safety net, enabling consistent income streams even when individual wells face challenges. Jay R. Young, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for safety net 

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of safety net was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near safety net

Cite this Entry

“Safety net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety%20net. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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