Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Involving or working for the entire standard or customary number of working hours: Used to describe a job, position, or role that requires a person's commitment for the complete, standard work period, typically considered to be 35-40 hours per week.
   • Occupying all of one's available working time; not part-time: Describing an activity or employment that constitutes a person's primary occupation.

2. Adverb:

   • On the basis of a full-time schedule; for the entire standard period: Describes the manner in which work is performed or a position is held.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • She is looking for a full-time position in marketing. (This describes the type of job she wants.)
  • The care of a newborn is a full-time job. (This emphasizes that the activity demands all available time.)
• Adverb:
  • He works full-time and studies in the evenings. (This describes how he works.)
  • After graduating, she was employed full-time. (This describes the basis of her employment.)

Advanced Usage

• "full-time equivalent (FTE)": A unit used in human resources to standardize and combine the hours of part-time workers into the equivalent number of full-time workers. For example, two employees each working 20 hours per week equal one FTE.
• The concept is often contrasted with "part-time," "flexi-time," or "job-share."

Variants and Related Words

• Part-time (adj/adv): Involving or working for fewer than the standard number of hours.
• Full-timer (n, informal): A person who works full-time.
• Full-time can be hyphenated when used as a compound adjective before a noun (e.g., a full-time employee) but may be written without a hyphen when used as an adverb (e.g., She works full time).

Synonyms

• Adjective: Permanent (in some contexts), regular, whole-time.
• Adverb: Permanently, regularly.

Related Phrases

• To go full-time: To transition from part-time or casual work to a full-time schedule.
  • After her internship, she was offered a chance to go full-time.
• Full-time basis: The condition of being employed or working full-time.
  • He was hired on a full-time basis.

Adverb

1. for the standard number of hours
   • she works full-time

Adjective

1. for the entire time appropriate to an activity
   • a full-time job