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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
Throughout history, in the United States and elsewhere, the imposition of political control on a civil service has been a recipe for incompetence and anti-democratic abuse.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 1 Nov. 2024
This is very threatening for government employees and obviously offensive to the notion of a neutral civil service.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 1 Nov. 2024
According to the New York Times, the couple tied the knot in a civil service held in San Antonio, Texas before holding a religious ceremony in Mexico.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 18 Oct. 2024
Project 2025, produced by the conservative Heritage Foundation, similarly proposes that many civil service positions be replaced with political appointees selected directly by the president.
—TIME, 23 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
circa 1770, in the meaning defined above
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 28 Nov. 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
More from Merriam-Webster on civil service
Nglish: Translation of civil service for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of civil service for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about civil service
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