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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 Nelson, who ultimately finished sixth and earned $75,000, had equally kind words for his new friend. — Amber Harding Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Azeem earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026 Philo earned the start against Georgia after missing the Texas game with a shoulder injury. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026 Presenting all food items at the same time on the plate – versus saving a dessert or treat for after the meal – visually reminds everyone that food does not have to be earned. — Bryn Beeder, The Conversation, 1 Nov. 2026 The film earned its credited screenwriter career-defining Academy Award and BAFTA nominations, and the Writers Guild Award for Original Screenplay. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026 The invention also earned a Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Excellence in Safety Award for fiscal year 2025. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026 The quarterback Mike Macdonald has earned his paychecks from making quarterbacks uncomfortable. — Sam McDowell 25, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026 The antihero adaptation earned another $19 million overseas from 76 markets for a global tally of $43 million. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for earned

Verb

Milwaukee’s only other MLB championship was won in 1957 by the Braves, who moved to Atlanta for the 1966 season.

— Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
The ‘Dogs sophomore setter, Kohen Kazmierczak, fed junior middle hitter Eden Knapp for two crucial kills as their team won six of the final seven points to prevail.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of won

Verb

At the time of his re-signing, head coach Andy Reid said that the running back matured, took accountability and deserved a second chance with the club.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
However, most of our respondents said that Barcelona midfielder Patri Guijarro deserved the crown, and her former team-mate Putellas was down in third place.

— Nick Miller, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of deserved

Verb

Over the last 15 years, Loveless has gained acclaim for their ability to turn vulgarities into poetry and twist impossibly low romantic standards into dire punchlines.

— Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026
But the Broncos gained a scant 77 yards on the ground, a solid performance by the Chiefs.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of gained

Verb

The case has garnered national attention, having been reported in People magazine and the Huffington Post, among other publications.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have secured 53 seats, while his top rival Gadi Eisenkot and his allies have garnered 48.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of garnered

Verb

The team applies selective processing to recover neodymium and iron, allowing the metals to be obtained in pure salt forms.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
The targets appear to have been smaller stores and have affected only a limited number of each chain's retail locations, according to statements obtained by ABC News.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of obtained

Verb

In a statement, district officials stated the cancellation was made considering sensitive themes in the musical, including an abusive relationship and romantic storylines, the Star-Telegram previously reported.

— Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2026
The fact that Haslem became a mentor for Adebayo and developed a close friendship with him during their six seasons as Heat teammates made the moment especially meaningful.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of made

Verb

When this 2008 institution from Elmhurst, Queens opened an outpost within Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, even more New Yorkers got access to its exceptional, home-style Thai cooking.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026
The Hurricanes never got closer than six points the rest of the night.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of got

Browse Nearby Words

earn

earned

earnest

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Earned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earned. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of earned

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effrontery

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes