social safety net

noun

A set of governmental programs, entitlements, or benefits providing citizens and residents with a minimum level of financial protection, food, access to public infrastructure, or medical services.

Opposite
every man for himselflaw of the jungle
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Meanings

nounsocial safety net (plural social safety nets)

plural social safety nets

  1. social policygovernmentA set of governmental programs, entitlements, or benefits providing citizens and residents with a minimum level of financial protection, food, access to public infrastructure, or medical services.

    We can have a social safety net that protects our retired citizens from poverty and makes sure they can afford adequate health care.

    2005 February 10, “Editorial: When Math Is Worse Than Fuzzy”, in New York Times, retrieved 24 Jul 2011
    2 more examples

    CBS News used emotion-charged tales to make the case that some of the nation's truly needy are falling through the social safety net.

    1982 May 3, “The White House vs. CBS”, in Time

    Canadians are happy to tell anyone who will listen what makes this country great is our safe streets, health care and social safety net.

    2007 January 26, Murray Waldman, “Rights are a gift from the good guys”, in Toronto Star, Canada, retrieved 24 Jul 2011

    Antonyms: every man for himself, law of the jungle

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA set of governmental programs, entitlements, or benefits providing citizens and residents with a minimum level of financial protection, food, access to public infrastructure, or medical services.

Opposite
every man for himselflaw of the jungle

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 社會保障網 /社会保障网, 社会保障网
  • 社會保障網 /社会保障网 (shèhuì bǎozhàng wǎng)government programs
  • 社会保障网 (shèhuì bǎozhàng wǎng)government programs
Finnish sosiaalinen turvaverkko
  • sosiaalinen turvaverkkogovernment programs
French filet de sécurité sociale
  • filet de sécurité socialegovernment programs
Italian ammortizzatori sociali
  • ammortizzatori socialigovernment programs
Polish zabezpieczenie społeczne
  • zabezpieczenie społecznegovernment programs
Cite this entry
APA

social safety net. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20safety%20net

MLA

“social safety net.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20safety%20net. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “social safety net,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/social%20safety%20net.

Source: social safety net on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.