Social Work Terminology

noun a heavy load that is difficult to carry

verb to load or weigh down with a heavy burden

adjective burdensome, causing hardship or difficulty

• The financial burden of the project fell on the shoulders of the company.
• I can't take on any more work right now, it's too much of a burden.
• I hate when my boss piles on the extra work, it's such a burden.
• Carrying around resentment is like a heavy burden on your heart.

noun a person who uses drugs, especially illegally or excessively

• The police are cracking down on drug users in the city.
• I heard that John's cousin is a drug user.
• Stay away from that guy, he's a heavy drug user.
• Being addicted to social media can turn someone into a digital drug user.

verb to give knowledge or instruction to someone; to teach

• It is important to educate the public on the benefits of sustainable living.
• I try to educate my friends about the importance of recycling.
• I'm always trying to educate my crew on the latest slang terms.
• Reading books can educate your mind in ways that nothing else can.

verb to give help or care to someone; to attend to the needs of others

• The priest spent his days ministering to the spiritual needs of the congregation.
• She enjoys ministering to those in need in her community.
• I heard he's been ministering at the homeless shelter on weekends.
• The therapist is skilled at ministering to the emotional wounds of her patients.

verb to claim or declare openly or proudly

• The professor will profess his knowledge on the subject during the lecture.
• She likes to profess her love for him on social media.
• I can't believe he's professing his innocence after we caught him red-handed.
• The artist will profess his emotions through his latest masterpiece.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'case' is a noun as it refers to a particular situation or instance.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'sad' is an adjective that describes the noun 'case' as being characterized by sorrow or unhappiness.

• The lawyer described it as a sad case of negligence resulting in the loss of life.
• It's a really sad case when you hear about what happened to that family.
• Man, that's a super sad case, I can't believe that happened.
• Her broken heart was a sad case that no one could mend.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• Having sensitivity to different cultural norms is crucial in international business negotiations.
• She has a high sensitivity to gluten, so we need to be careful about what we cook for her.
• I can't believe how much sensitivity to criticism he has. He gets so defensive over the smallest things.
• His sensitivity to the needs of others is like a superpower, allowing him to always know the right thing to say or do.

noun a sibling who is the child of one's stepparent

adjective related to or being a stepsibling

• The stepsibling is my parent's child from a previous marriage.
• My stepsibling and I get along really well.
• My stepbro is always borrowing my stuff without asking.
• Having a stepsibling is like gaining a built-in best friend.

noun A person who was assigned female at birth but identifies and presents as masculine

adjective Relating to or characteristic of a person who was assigned female at birth but identifies and presents as masculine

• The transmasculine individual felt supported by their healthcare provider during their transition.
• My friend who is transmasculine is planning to start hormone therapy soon.
• Some people still don't understand what it means to be transmasculine.
• His journey towards embracing his transmasculine identity was like finding his true self.