988

American

[nahyn-eyt-eyt] / ˈnaɪnˌeɪtˈeɪt /

(in the United States) the telephone number for a mental health crisis hotline staffed by licensed counselors and other staff trained in suicide prevention.

Etymology

Origin of 988

First recorded in 2022

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You can connect with people who want to listen and support you by calling or texting 988 in the US and Canada, or by calling 111 in the UK.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Emergency services are contacted in fewer than 2% of calls, according to Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit organization that administers 988, and most of these dispatches are made with the caller’s consent.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Readers in the US and Canada can call the 988 suicide helpline or visit its website.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

Both Raiders and Cowboys players wore shirts honoring Kneeland during pre-game warm-ups, with the Raiders jerseys carrying the number "988" of a suicide prevention helpline.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

The empire between 988 and 1014 was invaded twenty-six times by King Samuel of Bulgaria.

From Outline of Universal History by Fisher, George Park

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023