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
The Administration also ousted Black officials from leadership roles in the civil service, replacing them with white appointees.
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Time, 14 Oct. 2025
This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who leads Democrats in the upper chamber, sided with Republicans in March to keep the government open, in large part due to fears of further cuts to the civil service from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 30 Sep. 2025
Eric Grant, appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, led the federal government’s response in high-profile environmental law cases, joining the civil service in President Donald Trump’s first term.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the civil service
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Time, 14 Oct. 2025
This is a sister organization to the Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind Project 2025—a sweeping conservative policy blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government by expanding presidential power, dismantling parts of the civil service, and rolling back regulations across agencies.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who leads Democrats in the upper chamber, sided with Republicans in March to keep the government open, in large part due to fears of further cuts to the civil service from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 30 Sep. 2025
Eric Grant, appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, led the federal government’s response in high-profile environmental law cases, joining the civil service in President Donald Trump’s first term.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 12 Aug. 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 18 Oct. 2025.
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