social service

noun

plural social services

: a program or effort designed to promote human or societal well-being

specifically : organized help for people who are in need of assistance with basic needs (such as food, housing, safety, or job training) or with medical needs (such as addiction or mental illness)

—usually plural

Most states are struggling with skimpy resources and a system of uncoordinated social services that is totally inadequate to serve a population of individuals whose needs are bottomless.

—Constance Holden

… attacked the idea of social services, claiming that the only entity entitled to provide care is the church, not the government.

—Tori Otten

—often used before another noun

social service agencies

Until the bridge's closure, the island hosted and supported social service programs including homeless shelters and an addiction recovery campus.

—Ellie Wolfe

Examples of social service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After telling stakeholders that the community wasn’t equipped to absorb that many refugees in one year, the lower number was assigned by the state department of social services, local officials said. —Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 13 Feb. 2025

But Buchanan’s predecessor, the Rev. Elam Davies, had begun focusing on the community at large, including launching a tutoring program for children in the nearby Cabrini-Green housing complex, starting a social service center and forming a counseling center. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2025

The victims had given the city their names and info to apply for social services like beds in homeless shelter and food stamps. —John Annese, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2025

After returning from overseas, Vance pursued a bachelor's degree in social services and has since held various roles, according to his LinkedIn. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1761, in the meaning defined above