on-the-job
adjective
done, received, or happening while in actual performance of one's work.
Jump To:
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on-the-job
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on the job
on the job
At work, busy, as in We've got three men on the job . [Late 1800s]
on-the-job
American
[on-thuh-job, awn-]
/ ˈɒn ðəˌdʒɒb, ˈɔn- /
adjective
on the job
Idioms
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At work, busy, as in We've got three men on the job . [Late 1800s]
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Paying close attention, alert, as in Trust Jim to find out the details—he's always on the job .
Etymology
Origin of on-the-job
First recorded in 1935–40
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:
District Court in Chicago, for example, is updating its insider-trading policies to prohibit employees from using on-the-job information to make prediction wagers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Apprentices are generally paid a lower wage but get on-the-job training and practical work experience.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
AI has automated entry-level tasks that once served as on-the-job training.
From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026
“The training does not stop after graduation from the academy. Recruits are put on a rigorous on-the-job training program that is tracked and monitored.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026
Holly had enough on-the-job experience to realize that she was under fire, and immediately curled her elfin frame into a ball, minimizing the target.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Scare actors reportedly make around $18 to $25 an hour, depending on the job.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026
Attorney General Todd Blanche dropped by “Jesse Watters Primetime” on his first day on the job, almost certainly expecting a friendly interview.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
But, while BBC Sport understands Conte is keen on the job, the Italian says he is not in "advanced" talks with any club.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
Daniel, a team member at Shoppers True Value Hardware, sleeps on the job, leaves food lying around and lets his co-workers clean up after him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Whenever Dad started to do a new motion study project at a factory, he’d always begin by announcing he wanted to photograph the motions of the laziest man on the job.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
