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

Tax revenue has grown steadily in recent years but has failed to keep up with ballooning costs in areas including the city’s rental-voucher program and public assistance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Yet millions of their workers, including many employed full time, have to rely on public assistance, as the Government Accountability Office reported in 2020.

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

But she knew she couldn’t make it out on public assistance.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times