Meanings
- uncountableDeplorable welfare; welfare that causes more anguish than good.
I am willing to pay a fair amount, but not to be mulcted in that vindictive way, and nuts to the Hellfare State.
2008, Norman T. Gates, Richard Aldington2 more examples
He hesitated again before he said: “Well, we have done a lot of welfare work." “Welfare!" I exclaimed. “You can boast of that? You must know what labor calls that—hellfare work."
1989, Saul Alinsky, Reveille for RadicalsNot surprisingly, the quest for resources other than from the public purse received no small urging by governments and Ministry, though obviously the degree of pressure brought to bear and the means by which it was brought to bear, are legion depending on the state of national wealth and hellfare!
2009, Robert Cowen, Andreas Michael Kazamias, Elaine Unterhalter, International handbook of comparative education
Origin
Blend of hell + welfare, equivalent to hell + fare.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
hellfare. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hellfare
“hellfare.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hellfare. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hellfare,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hellfare.
Source: hellfare on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.