Phrase guide

public assistance

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Payment made to disadvantaged persons by government in order to alleviate the burdens of poverty, unemployment, disability, old age, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Qualifier: public policy

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Government subsidy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • The Tobacco Fund is financed by a deduction from the premiums granted to tobacco producers and it is therefore justified to propose that all public assistance for measures financed under the Fund be provided from the Community own resources in the Fund. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2002:331:0016:0022:EN:PDF

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she lives on welfare

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: social welfare, welfare

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: aid, economic aid, financial aid

Narrower terms: social insurance, relief, dole, pogy, pogey

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: toimeentulotuki — public money paid to the needy
  • Finnish: julkinen tuki — subsidy