social studies

plural noun

: a part of a school or college curriculum concerned with the study of social relationships and the functioning of society and usually made up of courses in history, government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology

Examples of social studies in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It's geared toward middle grade readers ages 8-13, and also makes great research material for school book reports and history or social studies projects. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024 The former social studies teacher has found that emphasizing the upcoming election – and preparing eligible students to vote – has helped. Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Oct. 2024 Kevin Johnson, a social studies teacher for Edgewood City Schools, was identified by Superintendent Kelly Spivey as the 60-year-old involved in the crash. Jennifer Edwards Baker, The Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2024 Recently, a Massachusetts high school was sued by parents after disciplining a student for using AI to generate notes and an outline for a social studies paper. Gerui Wang, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for social studies 

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of social studies was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near social studies

Cite this Entry

“Social studies.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20studies. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

social studies

plural noun
: the studies dealing with human relationships and the way society works (as history, civics, economics, and geography)
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