earning

verb

present participle of earn
1
as in winning
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 deserving
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 earning As a market maker, Keyrock buys and sells cryptocurrencies in large quanties, earning money from the spread as well as providing liquidity. — Kerry A. Dolan, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 Morton, a British native who’s been acting since age 12, has pulled off a dynamic and varied career over three-plus decades, earning Oscar noms for her supporting role in Sweet and Lowdown and lead turn in In America. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026 The lowest-earning 10% of Connecticut workers effectively lost 40% of their income to state and municipal tax burdens in 2022, according to the most recent study, done in late 2025. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026 The nominations for the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards are in, with hits including Hacks, Beef, Only Murders in the Building, and Your Friends & Neighbors all earning recognition. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 July 2026 Picture show The Dallas hip-hop group Cure for Paranoia won this year's Tiny Desk Contest, earning the chance to perform their own Tiny Desk concert after standing out among thousands of independent artists. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 17 July 2026 My Left Foot was met with raves, earning both Day-Lewis and Fricker Oscar wins for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress in 1990, respectively. — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026 Kurtz got the starting nod after earning the most votes in a players’ ballot to decide the game’s reserves. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026 The film has proved both controversial and enduring, spawning an eight-film franchise and earning its chainsaw-wielding antagonist, Leatherface, a spot among film’s most iconic horror villains. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earning
  1. winning
  2. deserving
  3. gaining
  4. garnering
  5. reaping
  6. making
  7. obtaining
  8. getting
Verb
  • Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms beat six opponents in the May Democratic primary for governor, winning 56% of the vote and avoiding a runoff.
    — Sophia Eppley, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • This is still the best superhero movie ever made, with Heath Ledger delivering a legendary (and posthumous Oscar-winning) performance as the Joker that looms over every frame, despite the character only appearing in 33 of the film’s 152 minutes.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
Definition of winning
Verb
  • The Curaçao goalkeeper, Eloy Room, made no fewer than fifteen saves, and one hopes that his post-match joke about deserving a statue will be suitably honored in stone.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • Andric argued that former soccer players targeted by hooligans were indeed a social group deserving protection, but the judges didn’t buy it.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of deserving
Verb
  • That being said, real-estate experts say buyers may finally be gaining a bit more breathing room as the market holds steady.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 July 2026
  • Voters have overwhelmingly reauthorized the program, most recently gaining nearly 80% of the vote in 2016.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of gaining
Verb
  • If nothing else, garnering a point from a tie was a far better outcome for the Current than last week’s 3-0 loss at Orlando.
    — The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • Panelists warned about a future where Christian nationalists subvert democratic systems in order to achieve a larger goal of garnering special power and privilege for Christians.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of garnering
Verb
  • In 2026, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix is reaping benefits from belief in Alcántara.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Like Fox Sports, which is reaping NFL-level audiences for its World Cup coverage, the matches command a demographically diverse and multi-generational audience.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 11 July 2026
Definition of reaping
Verb
  • His removal sparked public protests and discord within the Ukrainian military, with Fedorov making an outspoken attack on the chief of the armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Thursday.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • The Three Lions were just six minutes away from making their first World Cup final since 1966.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of making
Verb
  • Alvarado and his team digitized 80,000 feet of celluloid after obtaining some funding.
    — Carlos Aguilar, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
  • The company could not sell an active-duty service member’s car without first obtaining a court order, the attorney allegedly reminded the manager and owner of the company.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of obtaining
Verb
  • Tuchel admitted in his Friday night press conference that the pain is still getting worse.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • In the midst of all the late drama was Jon Rahm getting an official conduct warning for throwing his club after a bad tee shot.
    — Doug Ferguson, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Definition of getting

Browse Nearby Words

earnestness
earning
earnings
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Cite this Entry

“Earning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earning. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on earning

Nglish: Translation of earning for Spanish Speakers

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