social welfare

noun

: organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups
specifically : social work

Examples of social welfare 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.
China's leadership is eager to reverse the trend, as the soaring number of elderly citizens is expected to increase the burden on families and strain the country's social welfare systems, sapping vitality from the world's second-largest economy. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025 Recent polls by Nikkei and Tokyo Broadcasting System show that younger Japanese are more inclined to support tax cuts, while older generations prefer maintaining the status quo to safeguard social welfare. CNBC, 23 July 2025 In an era defined by partisan divides on issues such as immigration, health care, social welfare, gender equality, race relations and gun control, why are so many Republican and Democratic political leaders on the same page on the issue of AI regulation? Adam Eichen, The Conversation, 17 July 2025 These essential features support more efficient public and private-sector applications to improve outcomes for citizens (across health, social welfare, financial services, business and beyond). David G.w. Birch, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for social welfare

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of social welfare was in 1912

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Social welfare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20welfare. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Medical Definition

social welfare

noun
social wel·​fare -ˈwel-ˌfa(ə)r, -ˌfe(ə)r How to pronounce social welfare (audio)
: organized public or private social services for the assistance of disadvantaged groups
specifically : social work

More from Merriam-Webster on social welfare

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