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
Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Ichiyō has gone down in history as Japan’s first woman writer to earn a living from her writing, and her legacy, which redefined Japanese literature for the modern age, lives on today.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The Eagles earned a spot in the Division I championship game with a 5-4 win over visiting Verdugo Hills on Wednesday in the semifinals.
—Justin Vigil Zuniga, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Kody Funderburk surrendered a run and Drew Smith gave up four runs — two earned — while getting just one out.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for earn
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Verb
Miller earned a primary assist on Staal’s goal, Carolina’s second of the first period, by carrying the puck from the blue line to the goal line, going wide on Danault.
—Arpon Basu, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Ichiyō has gone down in history as Japan’s first woman writer to earn a living from her writing, and her legacy, which redefined Japanese literature for the modern age, lives on today.
—Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
The Eagles earned a spot in the Division I championship game with a 5-4 win over visiting Verdugo Hills on Wednesday in the semifinals.
—Justin Vigil Zuniga, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Kody Funderburk surrendered a run and Drew Smith gave up four runs — two earned — while getting just one out.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for earn
Cite this Entry
“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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