safety net

American  

noun

1. a large net rigged between a person, as a trapeze performer, and the ground as protection in a fall.

2. something that provides a margin of protection or security.

   the safety net of federal credit for financial institutions.

---

safety net British  

noun

1. a net used in a circus to catch high-wire and trapeze artistes if they fall

2. any means of protection from hardship or loss, such as insurance

---

Other Word Forms

• safety-net adjective

Etymology

Origin of safety net

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Having the subsidies as a safety net feels like having a pillar to lean on,” she told Barron’s.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

While he described welfare as a necessary "safety net", he vowed to get thousands of economically inactive Scots back into work.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

But the U.A.E. also has no social safety net for foreigners.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

The hardship withdrawals are part of the safety net, not necessarily the problem.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

Losing it will be like losing a safety net.

From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas