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
The 26-year-old shooting guard spent two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization, earning an NBA championship ring in 2025 before playing for the Austin Spurs last season. Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026 In the next 250 years, what books will get earn their place among the best literature America has to offer? Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 2 July 2026 The CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program, which began in 2023, allows recipients to earn a $1 rebate on their EBT card for every $1 of CalFresh benefits spent on any fresh fruits and vegetables at a participating retailer. Lyanne Wang, CBS News, 2 July 2026 On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot. Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 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 3 Jul. 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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