earn

1 of 2

verb (1)

earned; earning; earns

transitive verb

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

earn

2 of 2

verb (2)

earned; earning; earns

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
Verb
In the ninth inning, the Royals scored three runs to earn their 38th victory of the season. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2024 Where his early releases were misogynistic enough to earn condemnation from President Obama and Oprah Winfrey, Luda — as many fans call him — is now a 46-year-old father of four. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2024 Duchovny, who went on to star in the series Californication, which earned him another Golden Globe, branched out, writing five books and recording three studio albums. Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 7 June 2024 Teachers’ assistants earn an average of $22.50 an hour — a 30% increase over the previous school year but still barely enough to put them over the poverty level. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for earn 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English ernen, from Old English earnian; akin to Old High German arnōn to reap, Czech jeseň autumn

Verb (2)

probably alteration of yearn

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earn was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near earn

Cite this Entry

“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earn. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

earn

verb
ˈərn
1
: to get for services given
earn a good salary
2
: to deserve as a result of labor or service
earned good grades
earner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on earn

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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