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
The insurance industry’s fierce resistance exposes what’s at stake — protecting billions in unearned profits.
—
Mark Merritt, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Cooper’s grasp of the material is unerring, imbuing it with a sweetness that’s never cloying, a generosity of spirit that’s never unearned.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Two of New York’s first six runs were unearned.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Four songs released by Lola Young are at the center of a legal dispute alleging that producer Carter Lang claimed unearned songwriting credits on the tracks.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unearned
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Mark Merritt, Boston Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Cooper’s grasp of the material is unerring, imbuing it with a sweetness that’s never cloying, a generosity of spirit that’s never unearned.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025
Two of New York’s first six runs were unearned.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Four songs released by Lola Young are at the center of a legal dispute alleging that producer Carter Lang claimed unearned songwriting credits on the tracks.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unearned
Cite this Entry
“Unearned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unearned. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unearned
adjective
un·earned
ˌən-ˈərnd 
ˈən-
: not gained by labor, service, or skill
unearned income
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