Definitions

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.

For Americans who grimace at the thought of “big government,” this distanced Social Security from public assistance or welfare.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 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

All three consistently land at or near the top of lists of major corporations with significant shares of their workers collecting public assistance.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2025

Combined with threats to federal funding for public assistance, it has been too much for many of them to bear, she said.

From Salon • Jun. 3, 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