earn

1 of 2

verb (1)

earned; earning; earns

transitive verb

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

earn

2 of 2

verb (2)

earned; earning; earns

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
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
And another gives users a way to create interactive AI personas from text prompts and earn money from their dynamic digital assets through a token system, uniting creative freedom with blockchain stability. Tomer Warschauer Nuni, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 Those students could earn $55,000 while taking classes for their master’s degrees and working in the field under mentors at MPS. Rory Linnane, jsonline.com, 7 Aug. 2025 The new, special tax break on tips is retroactive and applies to eligible tip income earned in all of 2025. Susan Tompor, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025 Mason Miller, the marquee acquisition at last week’s trade deadline, mixed a two-out walk among his three strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth to earn his first save with the Padres. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for earn

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English ernen, from Old English earnian; akin to Old High German arnōn to reap, Czech jeseň autumn

Verb (2)

probably alteration of yearn

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earn was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

earn

verb
ˈərn
1
: to get for services given
earn a good salary
2
: to deserve as a result of labor or service
earned good grades
earner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on earn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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