earned; earning; earns
1
a
: to receive as return for effort and especially for work done or services rendered
b
: to bring in by way of return
bonds earning 10 percent interest
2
a
: to come to be duly worthy of or entitled or suited to
she earned a promotion
b
: to make worthy of or obtain for
the suggestion earned him a promotion
earner
noun
Examples of earn in a Sentence
Verb (1)
during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns
you've earned the afternoon off after all that hard work
Recent Examples on the Web
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Ellison also earned his MBA from Emory University and serves on the board of directors for FedEx.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
The couple opened SanBrite in 2017, which went on to earn a Michelin star.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2025
Quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who has missed the past three games following a groin injury, earned that recognition for his support of new starter Joe Pesansky.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn
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Verb
For the TikTok star, whose honest food reviews and small-business shoutouts have earned millions of followers on TikTok and beyond, the holidays are now about building memories for his children.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
Ellison also earned his MBA from Emory University and serves on the board of directors for FedEx.
—Sydney Lake, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2025
The couple opened SanBrite in 2017, which went on to earn a Michelin star.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2025
Quarterback Keyone Jenkins, who has missed the past three games following a groin injury, earned that recognition for his support of new starter Joe Pesansky.
—Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for earn
Cite this Entry
“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
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