selective service
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of selective service
First recorded in 1919
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.
A vast majority of US states and territories also automatically register men for selective service when driver's licenses are issued.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
And when Jimmy Carter announced the return of the selective service in 1980, in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Gil, still an underclassman, decided to take a stand: He refused to sign up.
From Slate ● Mar. 25, 2026
In addition to strength, stamina and ergonomic shoes, a job with the postal service requires a clean record, two years of safe driving, and a selective service registration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2022
I was sent to wait out the remainder of the day before being taken back to my local selective service board and returning home to Southern Maryland.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 5, 2022
The selective service law solved many problems, but Noddy’s was not among them.
From Ned, Bob and Jerry on the Firing Line The Motor Boys Fighting for Uncle Sam by Young, Clarence
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
