Meaning & use
welfare of others
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
the health, happiness, and safety of other people, considered as something you should care about
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: it can be the subject or object of a sentence, e.g. 'The welfare of others matters.'
Patterns
- care about the welfare of others
- protect the welfare of others
- put the welfare of others first
Good teachers genuinely care about the welfare of others, not just about exam results.
The charity's whole purpose is to protect the welfare of others in the community.
He was praised for putting the welfare of others before his own comfort.
Common combinations
- care about the welfare of others
- A good nurse must care about the welfare of others.
- protect the welfare of others
- Laws exist to protect the welfare of others.
- the welfare of others comes first
- In this job, the welfare of others comes first.
- concern for the welfare of others
- Her concern for the welfare of others impressed everyone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- well-being of others
- Very close in meaning, but 'well-being' often includes emotional and mental health, while 'welfare' suggests practical care and safety.
- interests of others
- This is wider and more neutral: it can mean anything that benefits other people, not just their health and safety.
Word family
- welfare noun
- The general noun for the health and happiness of a person or group, or for government support payments.
- welfarist adjective
- Describing policies or views that focus on people's welfare.
Commonly confused: welfare of others or farewell?
welfare of others vs farewell
'Farewell' is a goodbye, while 'welfare' is about health and happiness. They sound similar but are unrelated.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'the welfare of others' most naturally?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is a noun phrase meaning other people's health and happiness, so it fits as the object of 'protect'. The other options treat it as a verb, an adverb, or a concrete object, which is wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “welfare of others”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.