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
May 18 President Wilson signs selective service act.
From A School History of the Great War by Gerson, Armand Jacques
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.
