earn

verb

ˈərn How to pronounce earn (audio)
Definition of earnnext
1
as in to win
to receive as return for effort during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deserve
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment) you've earned the afternoon off after all that hard work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of earn To prepare for a scuba diver’s worst nightmare, Abrams earned the necessary certifications. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Regions earned 73 cents per share, excluding certain items, while analysts polled by FactSet expected a profit of 66 cents per share. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026 Given all of Los Angeles’ injuries along its offensive line, this weekend’s matchup should present opportunities for the Chiefs’ front seven to get back to the quarterback — and perhaps earn a Cram Award along the way. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 Once Upon a Time in Harlem more than earns the majestic, epic feel of its title. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earn
  1. win
  2. deserve
  3. gain
  4. reap
  5. garner
  6. make
  7. obtain
  8. get
Verb
  • The production won the Tony Award for special theatrical event.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Soon, Senior is the new leader of his son’s gang, winning hearts and minds with ’Nam stories and chummy nicknames.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of win
Verb
  • Your email account deserves special attention because criminals can use it to reset passwords for other accounts.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Here’s why real pumpkin deserves a place in your diet, plus delicious ways to satisfy your cravings this fall.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of deserve
Verb
  • Whether lawmakers accept those limits will help determine how much authority the federal government gains over advanced AI systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • North Korean engineers have learned from time spent working in Russia’s massive Yelabuga drone factory, and North Korean forces fighting alongside Russia have gained firsthand experience in integrating drones into modern combat.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of gain
Verb
  • Those who embrace new technologies are best placed to shape them and reap their benefits.
    — Ali Kashani, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The United States could reap crucial benefits from sharing foreign trade secrets with select tech firms.
    — DAVID S. COHEN, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of reap
Verb
  • Floated earlier this year, a separate bid to have political appointees—rather than independent expert panels—decide grant recipients garnered significant backlash.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The goals and guardrails came forward after district leaders hosted more than 40 community listening sessions in recent months to garner feedback from families, teachers and other stakeholders.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of garner
Verb
  • The producer made some pointed observations about the state of independent cinema.
    — Lise Pedersen, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The acquisition of 100 percent of ZO Skin Health will be made in an all-cash transaction and funded through cash reserves and bank financing.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of make
Verb
  • The hackers also obtained access to unique student identifier numbers as well as information about gender, race or ethnicity, primary language, country of origin and English learner status.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Detectives identified a person of interest and obtained a search warrant for a residence.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of obtain
Verb
  • White said Salvation Brands is not to be confused with the big brand management firms such as Authentic Brands Group and WHP Global, which are getting all the attention these days.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Waddhwa moved to strike a film development deal around the incident after getting unsolicited inquiries from Indian media firms.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of get

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Cite this Entry

“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earn. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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