1
: not gained by labor, service, or skill
unearned income
2
: scored as a result of an error by the opposing team
an unearned run
Examples of unearned in a Sentence
Bank interest is regarded as unearned income.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Angels scored two unearned runs off starter Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) in the first, one when Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and the other on Oswald Peraza’s RBI grounder.
—
Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Instead of putting a new painting in the spot where James’s portrait had been, the Pentagon kept the space empty, leaving employees with the impression that, in spite of his many achievements, the new administration viewed the general as a symbol of unearned advancement, unworthy of recognition.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
The Angels scored two unearned runs off starter Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) in the first, one when Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and the other on Oswald Peraza's RBI grounder.
—CBS News, 9 June 2026
San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic made a comeback effort in the seventh inning, scoring three unearned runs, and had runners on second and third base when Grindlinger, pitching in relief, got a strikeout for the third out to end the game.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unearned
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Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026
Instead of putting a new painting in the spot where James’s portrait had been, the Pentagon kept the space empty, leaving employees with the impression that, in spite of his many achievements, the new administration viewed the general as a symbol of unearned advancement, unworthy of recognition.
—Clint Smith, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
The Angels scored two unearned runs off starter Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) in the first, one when Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and the other on Oswald Peraza's RBI grounder.
—CBS News, 9 June 2026
San Diego’s Cathedral Catholic made a comeback effort in the seventh inning, scoring three unearned runs, and had runners on second and third base when Grindlinger, pitching in relief, got a strikeout for the third out to end the game.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unearned
Cite this Entry
“Unearned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unearned. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unearned
adjective
un·earned
ˌən-ˈərnd 
ˈən-
: not gained by labor, service, or skill
unearned income
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