community service

American  

noun

Law.

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

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community service British  

noun

1. voluntary work, intended to be for the common good, usually done as part of an organized scheme

2. See community-service order

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Example Sentences

Lawyers for the defendants declined to comment but in court referenced the men’s community service, according to local reports.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Another doctor, Mark Chavez, was ordered to be confined at home and told to do hundreds of hours of community service.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Fly tippers could face 20 hours of community service to clean their illegal dumps, and fines up to £300 for the offence.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Murillo must also complete 200 hours of community service and pay restitution to Carrillo’s family, Rubenstein said.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

By that time, Bunderson said, Reggie should have been able to complete whatever jail time he’d been assigned and the fifty hours of community service that the parties had agreed to.

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