public assistance

[puhb-lik uh-sis-tuhns] / ˈpʌb lɪk əˈsɪs təns /

NOUN

aid to needy

Synonyms

WEAK

aid to dependent children aid to the blind food stamps government aid meal ticket old-age assistance public welfare relief relief payments social welfare welfare welfare aid welfare payments

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

public assistance

My question is whether that additional income would make him ineligible for SSI, assuming he would even agree to apply for public assistance in the first place.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026

Much of the evidence circulating online about Haredi dependence on public assistance comes from reporting I helped produce as founder of the activist organization Yaffed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026

Meanwhile, low-income households that are eligible for public assistance with their home heating bills may not get that help until late December — after cold-weather demand begins.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2025

Detectives are asking for public assistance to help locate the 5-foot-7, 104-pound suspect.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025

Mam says there’s nothing left but the Dispensary and the public assistance, the relief, and she’s ashamed of her life to go and ask for it.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

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