foreign service

noun

: the field force of a foreign office comprising diplomatic and consular personnel

Examples of foreign service in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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In July of last year, the State Department began layoffs that impacted more than 1,300 people, including 246 foreign service officers. Callie Carmichael, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026 One of my tutors – a Muslim man who had worked for the Sri Lankan foreign service in his youth – would sit with me over lessons and then linger to talk with me about politics, culture and the country. Eranda Jayawickreme, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026 According to estimates by the American Foreign Service Association, the labor union that represents foreign service officers, senior foreign service ranks were disproportionately represented in layoffs. Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2026 Thirteen Arabic speakers and four Farsi speakers, all trained at taxpayer expense, were among employees let go, according to a draft letter being circulated by former foreign service officers. Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foreign service

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreign service was in 1799

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Cite this Entry

“Foreign service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign%20service. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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