civil service

noun

: the administrative service of a government or international agency exclusive of the armed forces
especially : one in which appointments are determined by competitive examination

Examples of civil service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web If Donald Trump becomes president again, his attack on the federal civil service could be much harsher than expected. Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 28 Feb. 2024 The Israeli air campaign and ground invasion has led to a mass displacement of the civilian population in Gaza and a breakdown of civil services and infrastructure. NBC News, 16 Feb. 2024 Among civil service employees, the top earners tend to be investment officers at the state’s pension funds and the California State Compensation Insurance Fund. Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacramento Bee, 24 Jan. 2024 Since housing would be guaranteed as a right, the people who still live on sidewalks or parks would get intervention from civil service social workers connecting the unhoused to treatment centers or care facilities where their illnesses can be treated. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 The Scottish government is in the process of rolling out a four-day workweek trial for its thousands of civil service employees. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 19 Dec. 2023 Her father, Mortimer Jackson, was a postal worker who fought for the advancement of Black workers in the union and civil service hierarchy. Sam Roberts, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2024 The Biden administration will coordinate recruitment for the American Climate Corps across the federal government and streamline pathways from the initiative and related programs into employment in the broader federal civil service, the White House said. Ben Gittleson, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023 Offers include two-year civil service placements, agricultural internships and incubators programs to help grow business ideas. Bloomberg, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'civil service.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of civil service was circa 1770

Dictionary Entries Near civil service

Cite this Entry

“Civil service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civil%20service. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

civil service

noun
: the branch of a government that takes care of the business of running a state but that does not include the lawmaking branch, the military, or the court system
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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