the civil service
noun
: the part of a government that takes care of the government's basic business : the administrative part of a government
—often used before another noun
a civil service employee
the civil service system
Examples of the civil service in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, for Black federal employees, trying to advance through the ranks of the civil service can be a bumpy road.
—
Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 27 Apr. 2025
Washington has become the court of Nero: an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a buffoon on ketamine tasked with purging the civil service.
—Claude Malhuret, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2025
There are various frameworks and legislation meant to help veterans transition into the civil service, including the Veterans Employment Initiative, established by an executive order signed by former President Barack Obama.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Federal Worker Unions Sue: Labor unions are battling the Trump administration over its attempts to slash the federal work force and roll back the protections afforded to the civil service employees.
—Eddie Costas, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the civil service
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 27 Apr. 2025
Washington has become the court of Nero: an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a buffoon on ketamine tasked with purging the civil service.
—Claude Malhuret, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2025
There are various frameworks and legislation meant to help veterans transition into the civil service, including the Veterans Employment Initiative, established by an executive order signed by former President Barack Obama.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Federal Worker Unions Sue: Labor unions are battling the Trump administration over its attempts to slash the federal work force and roll back the protections afforded to the civil service employees.
—Eddie Costas, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the civil service
Cite this Entry
“The civil service.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20civil%20service. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share