From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwelfare stateˌwelfare ˈstate / $ ˈ.../ noun 1 → the welfare state2 [countable]PG a country with such a system
Examples from the Corpus
welfare state• At the local level it was expressed by a shared set of values and policies, operating within a welfare state consensus.• For the past 150 years socialism and the social welfare state have provided this source of new ideas.• Because the welfare state is not neutral with respect to gender equality, it also takes sides on the question of language.• The liberal politicians sigh with relief and continue their efforts to enlarge the welfare state.• Its focus is the relevance of political and social ideas to public choices in the welfare state and social policy more generally.• The welfare state and the managed economy did not suddenly emerge full-blown in this period.• A sense of solidarity creates a readiness to share with strangers, which in turn underpins a thriving welfare state.From Longman Business Dictionarywelfare stateˌwelfare ˈstate [singular] a system by which a government provides help, money, care etc to people who are poor, unemployed, ill etcBritain’s National Health Service is a major feature of its welfare state. → state 