assistance
Americannoun
noun
-
help; support
-
the act of assisting
-
informal See national assistance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of assistance
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English assistence, from Medieval Latin assistentia; assist + -ance
Explanation
If you see a blind man having trouble crossing the street, offer him some assistance. Lending a hand is just one way of providing assistance. Assistance is a noun that means to help or aid. It's the noun form for the verb to assist. Homes for the elderly are sometimes called "assisted living facilities" because they provide assistance to older folks who might need assistance getting in and out of bed, or feeding themselves. If you're in a store and no one is helping you, call a manager and ask for assistance. However, if you like to shop, you probably won't need any assistance spending money.
Vocabulary lists containing assistance
List 5
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List 3
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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.
A central defender by trade, Van de Ven offered little attacking assistance, allowing Japan to crowd Gakpo out.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
Instead of striving to set a timeline for their child’s exit, parents should take pride in providing assistance as their child navigates independence.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
Compared with Europe, the United States offers fewer programs such as cash assistance for families with children, income support during parental leave, and subsidized childcare.
From Science Daily • Jun. 14, 2026
Laguna Beach Marine Safety, along with the assistance of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Harbor Patrol, responded to the scene, and she was identified as the missing victim by the Orange County coroner’s office.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
He believed he had seen transmutation performed; he evidently thought it likely that the anonymous stranger who had performed it, in his presence and with his assistance, was an angel, no less.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
