safety net

noun

: something that provides security against misfortune or difficulty

Examples of safety net in a Sentence

The program provides a safety net for people who have lost their jobs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Liberals support regular capitalism with new rules and safety nets. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026 Beijing would implement more vigorous reform of the country’s household registration system, to allow greater social and economic mobility and establish a stronger social safety net. — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026 Growing up with 9/11, the Great Recession, crushing student loan debt, many millennial workers have lived with significant challenges to social norms and safety nets that offered previous generations some support. — Adia Harvey Wingfield, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Oblivion is just one step away, and kinship, whether by blood or affinity, is redefined for a modern world in which traditional safety nets have been rent asunder. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for safety net

Word History

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of safety net was in 1877

Rhymes for safety net

See All Rhymes for safety net

Browse Nearby Words

safety match
safety net
safety nut
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Safety net.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/safety%20net. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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