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Glite Dictionary
corporate welfare

corporate welfare

12 5.2
Government gives money to big companies, often as tax breaks
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔːr.pə.rət ˈwɛl.fər/
translation icon : subvenciones a las empresas
  • And American oil companies take billions in taxpayer-funded corporate welfare despite reaping unprecedented profits in recent years.
  • forms of corporate welfare

The biggest issue in libertarianism is stopping corporate welfare.

Examples

  • What about the corporate welfare, business tax breaks, and farm subsidies which Republicans have consistently supported?

    Blog text (8)

  • So it seems that both parties might have a corporate welfare problem.

    Blog text (11)

  • There is a lot of talk about social welfare; what about corporate welfare?

    Blog text (8)

  • If Nixon can go to China, Republicans can cut corporate welfare.

    Blog text (14)

  • Rich farmers who earn, on average, $487,000 a year also received corporate welfare.

    Blog text (12)

  • The only thing they have done is enact corporate welfare and tax breaks for corporations.

    Blog text (5)

  • So much public money goes to corporate welfare in the form of bailouts, giveaways, and subsidies.

    Academic text (2004)

  • In fall 1994, Labor Secretary Robert Reich, elaborating on a favorite liberal theme, criticized "corporate welfare."

    Academic text (1995)

  • And Republicans in the House of Representatives included a $254 million corporate welfare check for Enron as part of their "economic stimulus plan."

    Academic text (2002)

  • Many critics argue that corporate welfare unfairly benefits large companies over small businesses.

Synonyms

subsidy
vscorporate welfare
226 4.1

Money that a government gives to a business or industry to help keep prices low

is the same support but focused on businesses often large ones
subsidization
vscorporate welfare
  • US
1 6.8

Money given by a government to help a business or group

is similar but specifically targets companies instead of general groups

How Supported

nationalization
  • Specialized
9 7.0
corporate welfare
12 5.2
grant
324 3.5
tax break
  • Specialized
98 3.0

Surface Forms

corporate welfare singular
corporate welfares plural

Morphology

corporate + welfare

The meaning 'government financial support to businesses' is directly and compositionally derived from 'corporate' (relating to corporations) + 'welfare' (government monetary or service aid). This modifier+noun pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

The phrase corporate welfare joins corporate, meaning companies, and welfare, meaning government 'help' for people in need. It creates the image of big companies getting the same government 'help' as people on welfare, so it means government money or tax breaks for large businesses.