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day job

noun

: one's regular employment as contrasted with an occasional, secondary, or coveted job

Examples of day job in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The day job, of course, is where one’s Excel apprenticeship begins. Shikhar Sachdev, HubSpot, 21 Nov. 2025 Joel Holsinger just quit his day job to bet on the words that famous people, like White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, might say in public. Jo Ling Kent, CBS News, 16 Nov. 2025 Our shoots were generally one-day jobs. Dan Beck, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2025 For nearly two months, many House members have been residing in their districts while the speaker kept them away from Washington and their day jobs voting on bills. Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for day job

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of day job was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Day job.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/day%20job. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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