EARNED Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

earned

verb

past tense of earn

as in won

to receive as return for effort during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deserved

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 earned Directed by Lee Cheol-ha and starring Uhm Jung-hwa, Park Sung-woong, Lee Sang-yun, and Sooyoung, the film has now earned $2 million. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Aug. 2026 Imanaga allowed five hits, two runs (one earned), one home run, two walks and struck out four on 72 pitches (41 strikes). — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Chisholm added a two-run homer in the seventh and Grisham homered in the eighth as the Yankees earned a win by at least five runs for the third time since the All-Star break. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026 The 60-year-old has earned that level of trust from everyone at the club after two excellent seasons in charge. — Pol Ballús, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 His play earned him Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Gregory Peck, on the other hand, was then thirty-six years old, and had already earned four Oscar nominations and won a Golden Globe. — Daria Egidi, Vanity Fair, 23 Aug. 2026 The university’s most recent tax filing shows Peavy earned $594,789 in compensation in 2024. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Kodai Senga earned his third save by striking out two in the ninth. — Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for earned

Verb

Clay-Chalkville is a Birmingham-area school that has won three of the past five Class 6A titles in Alabama.

— Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Delphine Boël, 58, eventually won her legal fight and was granted the title of princess.

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of won

Verb

Harrison has spent the last eight years in jail and his attorney argued that time should be sufficient, writing in court filings that Harrison deserved to be let out of jail after his July 29 sentencing hearing.

— Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
The 35-player preseason list for the award that goes to the nation’s top defensive back didn’t have an Illinois player on it, and by Bielema’s estimation both Scott and Bailey deserved a nod.

— Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of deserved

Verb

Rage cycling sessions, anxiety yoga and dozens of similar fitness initiatives have gained traction in recent years, inviting people to choose workout classes based on experiences and emotions.

— Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
There was a lot to be gained by doing adult films with the rise of VHS and the democratization of pornography, people being able to watch it in their living rooms.

— Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of gained

Verb

People who became influencers and hadn’t had a lot of training or exposure to beauty suddenly garnered a lot of attention.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Another question that has arisen as Walter’s financial troubles have garnered headlines is whether MLB would conduct its own investigation into Dodgers ownership or pressure the billionaire and his partners to sell the team.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of garnered

Verb

Investigators say Davis obtained the weapon used to fatally shoot Shakur and was in the vehicle from which the shots were fired.

— Andy Rose, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
As of August 31st, Nielsen’s co-viewing data will now include information obtained from smart-watch like gadgets that Neilsen’s research panelists wear in their homes.

— Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of obtained

Verb

The final decision may have only been made more recently, but with the British school year starting in early-September, the royals will want to get settled with the children as soon as possible.

— Max Foster, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
The electrode is built from a two-dimensional conductive metal-organic framework (MOF), a porous material made by connecting metal components with organic molecules.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of made

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earn

earned

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“Earned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earned. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of earned

verb

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