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social work
noun
: any of various professional activities or methods concretely concerned with providing social services and especially with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged
social worker
noun
Examples of social work in a Sentence
She is doing social work.
He has a job in social work.
Recent Examples on the Web
And its resources are put to use well beyond the field of medicine, with grants for work in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, social sciences, and social work, among other fields.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2025
Through the program, graduate students pursuing a license in social work and other soon-to-be professionals would get involved in student clubs and help facilitate discussions and workshops.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2025
Stevenson can also boast about how her brainchild has produced generations of students heading into careers in law and social work who are imbued with the program’s restorative spirit.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024
The study was undertaken by UNC social work researcher Orrin Ware and veterinary toxicologist Renee Schmid of the Pet Poison Helpline.
—Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for social work
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Word History
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near social work
Cite this Entry
“Social work.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20work. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
social work
noun
: any of various professional activities or methods concerned especially with providing services (as counseling, job training, or financial assistance) designed to promote social well-being (as of the economically disadvantaged)
social worker
noun
Medical Definition
social work
noun
: any of various professional services, activities, or methods concretely concerned with the investigation, treatment, and material aid of the economically, physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged
More from Merriam-Webster on social work
Nglish: Translation of social work for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about social work
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