Jump To:

• full time
  full time

  noun

  the number of hours in a period, as a day, week, or month, considered customary for pursuing an activity, especially working at a job: FT, F/T
• full-time
  full-time

  adjective

  working or operating the customary or requisite number of hours in each day, week, or month.

full time

¹ American  

[fool tahym] / ˈfʊl ˈtaɪm /

noun

1. the number of hours in a period, as a day, week, or month, considered customary for pursuing an activity, especially working at a job: FT, F/T

   The factory now operates on full time.

---

full-time ² American  

[fool-tahym] / ˈfʊlˈtaɪm /

adjective

1. working or operating the customary or requisite number of hours in each day, week, or month.

   a full-time housekeeper;

   full-time production.

2. being indefinitely employed by one company for the customary or requisite number of hours.

   Only full-time employees are eligible for healthcare.

---

adverb

1. on a full-time basis; on a schedule corresponding to the customary number of working or operational hours.

full-time ¹ British  

adjective

1. for the entire time appropriate to an activity

   a full-time job

   a full-time student

---

adverb

1. on a full-time basis

   he works full time

full time ² British  

noun

1. the end of a football or other match Compare half-time

---

Other Word Forms

• full-timer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of full time¹

First recorded in 1910–15

Origin of full-time²

First recorded in 1895–1900

Explanation

If you do something full-time, you spend most of your available time doing it. Working full-time usually means spending around forty hours a week doing your work. You can be employed at a full-time job, or you can be a full-time student. Some people are full-time parents, and you might hope to be a full-time artist or a full-time musician one day. In all of these examples, people use the majority of their waking hours (at least during the work week) focusing on one thing. This term dates from the late 1800s.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

full time full-time

After the success of her 2007 vintage, Gao dedicated herself full time to her winery, eventually moving the family vineyard just east of the Helan mountain, where vines are protected from sandstorms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

With Woolley now living full time in London, the duties for the U.S. shows were recently passed down to fellow performer Jeremy Elder, who did the sounds for the Netflix special tapings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Will you stay in Florida full time, like many people do, or go back to Illinois?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

The back story: When Covid sent Yale students home in 2020, Chime and his co-founders decided to skip remote learning and build their company full time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

After her third year in college, she decided to leave school and get involved full time in the North Korean issue.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Remini’s team didn’t comment on whether the Emmy-winning actor would be a full-time cast member on the series.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

I have a full-time job, but now I’m torn about what to do next.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 26, 2026

There was no hiding place, and the Celtic manager was frank when put in the spotlight at full-time.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

At the time of her firing, Attiah was the last remaining Black full-time opinion columnist at the Post, a publication that serves one of the nation’s most diverse regions.

From Salon ● Aug. 25, 2026

Working full-time has given me an appreciation for days off—sweatpants and slippers and skipping breakfast.

From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King