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 Each of the company’s more than 20 brands is distributed in North America, with many earning the top spot in key categories. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 Solo dining is climbing, and small indulgences keep earning space in budgets even when the big-ticket splurges get cut. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026 This practice had become prolific in the NBA, earning criticism that ballhandlers had gained undue leeway to initiate contact that defenders couldn’t reasonably counter without being called for a foul. — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Howard rose to prominence as the lead vocalist of Alabama Shakes, earning 18 Grammy nominations and five wins, including best alternative music album. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 After three straight weeks of me earning more units in NFL betting than ChatGPT, GPT edged me out in Week 4 by going 3-2 against my 2-2-1. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 So, paying down credit cards aggressively while still earning employment income may make sense. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 While De Luca and Abdy had a great run at the box office last year, this year has been littered with myriad misfires including The Bride, The End of Oak Street with no movie earning more than $100M stateside. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026 Households earning $50,000 to $100,000 are split evenly on socialism, and 69% view big business unfavorably, more than any other income group. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earning
  1. winning
  2. deserving
  3. gaining
  4. garnering
  5. reaping
  6. making
  7. obtaining
  8. getting
Verb
  • The bread-winning Global Banking & Markets division delivered strong results, which was very much behind the relatively positive reaction in the stock.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The decision backfired, as Rams kicker Harrison Mevis’s 48-yard game-winning field goal attempt was blocked by defensive end Greg Rousseau — much to the relief of Cook.
    — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of winning
Verb
  • But the game management staff, certain depth chart placements and how the roster fails to reach its potential are deserving of an extensive evaluation.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Millions of dollars in royalties that Smith diverted from real, deserving artists and rights holders.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of deserving
Verb
  • Quarterback Reagan Loki of Orange Lutheran came up with some tough running of his own at quarterback, gaining 59 yards.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Separating an investment from a hobby Nonetheless, the investment community is gaining prominence — and making money, a lot of it on trading in TCGs.
    — Bob Woods, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of gaining
Verb
  • The provocations are garnering Hilton plenty of attention though probably not winning him very many new votes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Shockingly, Leigh himself has never been nominated at the Globes for either directing or screenwriting, despite garnering seven Oscar noms throughout his career.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of garnering
Verb
  • But Scourton is out with a season-ending injury, while Umanmielen is playing better and reaping the benefits of a more consistent routine.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Denver students are reaping the benefits of a fund approved back in 2018.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of reaping
Verb
  • Crafting the ‘nudge’ As an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, Carleton spent two summers working in a Johns Hopkins prostate cancer lab and was surprised to see surgeons making a point to attend the department’s journal club.
    — Allessandra DiCorato, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
  • If the waiver is granted, callers would still be limited by certain conditions, including allowing consumers to opt out and making no more than three calls within 30 days to each individual recipient.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of making
Verb
  • The family’s story is mostly told from the perspective of Barb, the youngest sibling, who pushes for answers but puts off obtaining her own genetic test results.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Bell is the latest celebrity to speak out about troubles obtaining SAG-AFTRA health insurance.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of obtaining
Verb
  • Spirit’s efforts to sell tranches of data to Google for $10 million hit several speed bumps after getting public attention in August.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Eaton, in conjunction with developer Sue Powers’ Urban Ventures, plans to renovate the building and reduce its unit count from 62 to 50, with each unit getting its own bathroom for the first time.
    — Thomas Gounley, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 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 15 Oct. 2026.

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