earn

1 of 2

verb (1)

earned; earning; earns
Synonyms of earnnext

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
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Verb
Amarion Hunter earned Championship Game MVP honors with a double double, 21 points and 10 rebounds, to go along with 5 assists and 7 steals. Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Mar. 2026 Condé Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2026 Take control of your money with CNBC Select CNBC Select is editorially independent and may earn a commission from affiliate partners on links. Mike Winters, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026 Pidgeon appeared in the musical Stereophonic, which earned her a Tony nomination, while Lemmon starred in the play Job. Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026 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 16 Mar. 2026.

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

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