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
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 Tori Otten 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
Ellie Wolfe Examples of social service in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As Ebola cases topped 1,000 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNICEF issued a warning that some 3 million children and adolescents remain vulnerable — to the disease itself and to the loss of essential social services.
—
Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Operated by New Hope CORPS, the former hotel provides housing and social services to needy seniors.
—
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
At the county level, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ordered Mecklenburg to address problems with its social services department uncovered by an investigation into the death of Dominique Moody or risk a state takeover.
—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2026
These strategies include quicker processing turnarounds for contracts with behavioral health organizations and job recruitment, preventative infrastructure maintenance and faster deliveries of social services.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for social service
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Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
Operated by New Hope CORPS, the former hotel provides housing and social services to needy seniors.
—
Miami Herald,
1 July 2026
At the county level, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ordered Mecklenburg to address problems with its social services department uncovered by an investigation into the death of Dominique Moody or risk a state takeover.
—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2026
These strategies include quicker processing turnarounds for contracts with behavioral health organizations and job recruitment, preventative infrastructure maintenance and faster deliveries of social services.
—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for social service
Cite this Entry
“Social service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20service. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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