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part-time

Anything that's part-time is done less often than is typical or average. If you're sick of working full-time hours, try working part-time.

Part-time works as an adjective or an adverb, to describe things that don't take up as much time as you might expect, just part of a day or part of a week. If you're a part-time bus driver, you might do it twenty hours each week, in between classes. You could also call yourself a part-time student, or say that you study sociology part-time.

Definitions of part-time
  1. adjective
    involving less than the standard or customary time for an activity
    part-time employees”
    “a part-time job”
    synonyms: parttime
    half-time
    involving half the standard or customary time for an activity
    irregular, temporary
    lacking continuity or regularity
    odd-job
    not regular or skilled
    underemployed
    employed only part-time when one needs full-time employment or not making full use of your skills
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    full-time
    for the entire time appropriate to an activity
    regular
    officially full-time
  2. adverb
    for less than the standard number of hours
    “he works part-time
    synonyms: half-time
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘part-time'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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