1
as in won
to receive as return for effort
during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns
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Recent Examples of earned
But beyond those four, a number of prospects with local ties also earned a spot among the game’s rising stars.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Every fighter who won by KO or submission who didn’t get a $100K bonus earned an additional $25,000.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Gibson has now earned victories in eight straight starts.
—CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
And Foles — whose confidence earned him a provocative nickname in Philadelphia — became legend across a Super Bowl run in the weeks to follow.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Lindo, 73, is a longtime character actor whose appearances on film, television and stage have earned him critical acclaim, even as his industry’s highest honors eluded him.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
With a career spanning 40 years, Williams earned the respect of her competitors, those in the garage, and those at the controls of the sport.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2026
The loss of those supplies — and the hard currency Havana earned by reselling part of them — has further squeezed an already fragile economy.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Steinfeld's 2025 film Sinners is earned seven nominations at the 2026 Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026
Every fighter who won by KO or submission who didn’t get a $100K bonus earned an additional $25,000.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
Gibson has now earned victories in eight straight starts.
—CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026
And Foles — whose confidence earned him a provocative nickname in Philadelphia — became legend across a Super Bowl run in the weeks to follow.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026
Lindo, 73, is a longtime character actor whose appearances on film, television and stage have earned him critical acclaim, even as his industry’s highest honors eluded him.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
With a career spanning 40 years, Williams earned the respect of her competitors, those in the garage, and those at the controls of the sport.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 24 Jan. 2026
The loss of those supplies — and the hard currency Havana earned by reselling part of them — has further squeezed an already fragile economy.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Steinfeld's 2025 film Sinners is earned seven nominations at the 2026 Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earned
Verb
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And after losing to the 49ers this season, McVay's Rams won their next six games, established themselves as Super Bowl contenders and pushed 17th-year quarterback Matthew Stafford to the front of the league MVP race.—
Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
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Lee Jae Myung, a former leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, won the election.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The honor was well-deserved, veteran right tackle Morgan Moses said.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
-
And while some health trends are a bit inflated—in this case, the hype is well-deserved.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Knights gained their two-game lead Friday with a 94-86 home win over Palomar.—
Bill Center,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Honnold gained world-wide fame after ascending Yosemite National Park’s 3,000-foot El Capitan without safety equipment or rope in 2017.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Last fiscal year’s total fundraising income was $16,976, including the Taste of the Arts Gala, which garnered $15,277; and the Art of Bowling event, which brought in $1,539, according to a budget document.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
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Some anecdotes of wealthy families moving away have garnered attention, but the overwhelming pattern of millionaire mobility (or lack thereof) indicates no aggregate loss of such households.—
Gregory D. Squires,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the short-term pain reaped long-term benefits.—
Howard Schneider,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
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Unlike the companies that spent trillions in the great American electric koolaid build out, Apple let others do it for them and then reaped the benefits.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In 2022, while Ortega-Anguiano was in state prison for the OC vehicular manslaughter conviction, federal prosecutors during the Biden administration had obtained an indictment charging Ortega-Anguiano with illegally being in the United States after being previously deported.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
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McKee and Monique Tepe were married in 2015 and divorced in 2017, according to divorce records obtained by ABC Columbus affiliate WSYX.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to the report, Jeanie Buss soured on James after the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook in 2021, a move the team made to satisfy the superstar but one that backfired.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
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The experiment is that AI is being made available nationally and globally, which is either overtly or insidiously acting to provide mental health guidance of one kind or another.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Los Angeles Police Department could not immediately provide details of his arrest, but NBC4 reported that Sutherland allegedly got into an altercation with a ride-hailing driver, and was booked on suspicion of criminal threats.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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The whole experience somehow got even more embarrassing when a group of women at the restaurant approached him afterwards.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Earned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earned. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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