earned; earning; earns
1
a
: to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered
b
: to bring in by way of return
bonds earning 10 percent interest
2
a
: to come to be duly worthy of or entitled or suited to
she earned a promotion
b
: to make worthy of or obtain for
the suggestion earned him a promotion
earner
noun
Examples of earn in a Sentence
Verb (1)
during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns
you've earned the afternoon off after all that hard work
Recent Examples on the Web
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The Kids Are Alright earned a nomination for best urban contemporary album at the 2019 Grammy Awards, where Chloe x Halle was also up for best new artist, and Ungodly Hour earned a best progressive R&B album nod at the 2021 Grammys.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
Set against a stunning backdrop inspired by Ancient Greece, from boulder-rolling challenges inspired by Sisyphus to tense encounters with Medusa’s gaze, every quest determines the players that earn the strategic power to decide who visits Pandora’s Box.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Of that, $680 million, of course, is earmarked to unicorn Shohei Ohtani, who is earning $2 million in cash salary per season over the course of his 10-year contract.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn
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.
Verb
In addition, Watson earned three Pro Bowl selections in Houston.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025
The Kids Are Alright earned a nomination for best urban contemporary album at the 2019 Grammy Awards, where Chloe x Halle was also up for best new artist, and Ungodly Hour earned a best progressive R&B album nod at the 2021 Grammys.
—Heran Mamo, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
Set against a stunning backdrop inspired by Ancient Greece, from boulder-rolling challenges inspired by Sisyphus to tense encounters with Medusa’s gaze, every quest determines the players that earn the strategic power to decide who visits Pandora’s Box.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Of that, $680 million, of course, is earmarked to unicorn Shohei Ohtani, who is earning $2 million in cash salary per season over the course of his 10-year contract.
—Sean Gentille, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn
Cite this Entry
“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share