community service

American

noun

Law.

a punitive sentence that requires a convicted person to perform unpaid work for the community in lieu of imprisonment.

community service British

noun

voluntary work, intended to be for the common good, usually done as part of an organized scheme
See community-service order

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

community service

Long-running securities fraud charges were also resolved without an admission of wrongdoing under an agreement requiring restitution and community service.

From Barron's ● Oct. 19, 2026

In January 2025, the cafe was fined £18,000 and its proprietor Baris Yucel was given 100 hours of community service after admitting six criminal charges related to the Food Safety Act.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

That means that these adults must work or participate in community service for at least 80 hours a month or be enrolled in an educational program at least half of the time.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026

It stands for achievement and community service, a legacy that will last forever.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

And he’d have some community service, which entailed doing a media interview, and talking to some schools.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023