subsidy

noun

sub·​si·​dy ˈsəb-sə-dē How to pronounce subsidy (audio)
-zə-
plural subsidies
: a grant or gift of money: such as
a
: a sum of money formerly granted by the British Parliament to the crown and raised by special taxation
b
: money granted by one state to another
c
: a grant by a government to a private person or company to assist an enterprise deemed advantageous to the public

Examples of subsidy in a Sentence

The city is increasing subsidies for public transit. government subsidies for farmers in case of crop failure
Recent Examples on the Web The day after the vote, Northland activist Jaz Hays, went on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to say the project was not worthy of a taxpayer subsidy and implied that Chaves and his supporters had bought council support with $108,000 in campaign contributions. Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 First, green tech players—in particular, solar panel and battery manufacturers—have a strong presence on the list, thanks to government support in the form of subsidies and ambitious renewable energy targets, access to crucial raw materials, and the world’s desire to decarbonize fast. Fang Ruan, Fortune Asia, 20 Mar. 2024 Both have attracted big-ticket announcements for semiconductor factories, as a result of subsidies available through the Chips and Science Act, bringing a promise of thousands of new jobs with it. Akayla Gardner, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024 In his view, Barbecue used Henry’s unpopular decision to end fuel subsidies, which caused prices to rise, as a pretext to take action. Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2024 Industrial policies and subsidies are effective only if companies respond to the incentives they are meant to create. Jami Miscik, Foreign Affairs, 11 Mar. 2024 Bill has bipartisan support The bill has progressed easily through both chambers with bipartisan support. Democrats, who have been sounding the alarm about the child care crisis for years, have expressed a desire to further expand eligibility for certain vouchers and subsidies. Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2024 Among reasons for choosing to shoot in Bilbao-Bizkaia, producers adduced tax credits and subsidies (4.73/5), followed by past experience (4.22/5) and locations (4.08/5). John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Mar. 2024 Tax breaks, rebates and subsidies abound at the federal level, especially after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, including for buying electric appliances such as heat pumps and electric water heaters. Rachel Kurzius, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'subsidy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English subsidie, from Anglo-French, from Latin subsidium reserve troops, support, assistance, from sub- near + sedēre to sit — more at sub-, sit

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of subsidy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near subsidy

Cite this Entry

“Subsidy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subsidy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

subsidy

noun
sub·​si·​dy ˈsəb-səd-ē How to pronounce subsidy (audio)
-zəd-
plural subsidies
: a grant or gift especially of money
especially : a grant by a government to a private person or company or to another government to assist an undertaking thought helpful to the public

More from Merriam-Webster on subsidy

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