on-the-job
adjective
done, received, or happening while in actual performance of one's work.
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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:
Apprentices are generally paid a lower wage but get on-the-job training and practical work experience.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
"Look, the United States Senate is no place for on-the-job training," Fry said last during a primary debate last week.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
That was when they discovered another hurdle to getting medical bills paid for on-the-job injuries in North Dakota: There are just two lawyers left in the state who will represent injured workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
“This is not the time for on-the-job training,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2026
For officers, professionalization meant more training and implied a higher standard of on-the-job conduct.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
With a decade or two on the job, they could look across a room and spot who was having a heart attack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and recall her first day on the job.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
In his first interview on the job, Feinberg—the Pentagon’s No. 2 official—defended his unconventional approach.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Read our article on the job interview question you don't have to answer.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
He wanted his own team on the job.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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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.
