1
: not gained by labor, service, or skill
unearned income
2
: scored as a result of an error by the opposing team
an unearned run
Examples of unearned in a Sentence
Bank interest is regarded as unearned income.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nawrocki allowed an unearned run and struck out 12 while walking 2.
—
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Heering emphasized that condo owners aren’t asking for unearned perks.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
The Marlins’ ace, who opened the season on Friday by holding the Colorado Rockies to one unearned run over seven innings, needed just 93 pitches (69 strikes) to get his 27 outs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The Cubs tacked on an unearned run in the seventh.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unearned
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Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
Heering emphasized that condo owners aren’t asking for unearned perks.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 1 Apr. 2026
The Marlins’ ace, who opened the season on Friday by holding the Colorado Rockies to one unearned run over seven innings, needed just 93 pitches (69 strikes) to get his 27 outs.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The Cubs tacked on an unearned run in the seventh.
—CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unearned
Cite this Entry
“Unearned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unearned. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unearned
adjective
un·earned
ˌən-ˈərnd 
ˈən-
: not gained by labor, service, or skill
unearned income
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