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
Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
But Leavitt wasn't the only contestant who earned double-digit scores this week.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
In 2024, when the court ordered the wage garnishment, Lopez earned an annual salary of $28,419 for serving as a Unified Government commissioner, according to the Kansas Policy Institute.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
India Bradley, who was just promoted to a soloist at the New York City Ballet this month, is the first Black woman to earn that distinction in the company’s history.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn
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Verb
Cunha helped earn his start by reporting to Carrington a day before scheduled last week after returning from Japan with Brazil.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
But Leavitt wasn't the only contestant who earned double-digit scores this week.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025
In 2024, when the court ordered the wage garnishment, Lopez earned an annual salary of $28,419 for serving as a Unified Government commissioner, according to the Kansas Policy Institute.
—Sofi Zeman, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
India Bradley, who was just promoted to a soloist at the New York City Ballet this month, is the first Black woman to earn that distinction in the company’s history.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 22 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 23 Oct. 2025.
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