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

Austin Urlaub, 23, Michigan Finishing his master's in social work amid booming demand from people seeking addiction treatment. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Aug. 2024

But the Michigan native is still the first in his family to go directly into social work. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 12 Aug. 2024

Xuân Trương is a co-founder of Access CLT and a licensed clinical social work associate who was born with Osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as OI or brittle bone disease. —Dasia Williams, Charlotte Observer, 19 July 2024

Local commissions – comprising legal, health, and social work professionals – decide whether such a penalty is applied. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

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