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.
These are people who were often previously drawing from public assistance, now on a career path leading them toward middle-class stability. — Barb Clapp, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 By 1972, roughly one in eight New Yorkers was receiving some form of public assistance, up threefold from a decade earlier. — Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026 Most of the medical costs are paid by Medicaid and other public assistance programs funded by American taxpayers. — David Michaels, Fortune, 21 June 2026 Most of the medical costs are paid by Medicaid and other public assistance programs funded by American taxpayers. — David Michaels, The Conversation, 18 June 2026 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

Rhymes for public assistance

See All Rhymes for public assistance

Browse Nearby Words

publican
public assistance
publicate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Public assistance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/public%20assistance. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on public assistance

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about 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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All