earn
1 of 2verb (1)
ˈərn 
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 2verb (2)
earned; earning; earns
intransitive verb
obsolete
: grieve
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- acquire
- attain
- bag
- bring in
- capture
- carry
- come by
- draw
- gain
- garner
- get
- knock down
- land
- make
- obtain
- procure
- pull down
- realize
- reap
- secure
- win
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2023 One other player to watch is 1B Jack Gurevitch, a freshman from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame whose hitting in the fall should earn him some at-bats. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2023 Tenants would undergo screening, be subject to background and credit checks, and would earn about $20,000 to $40,000 per year – or about $10-$20 per hour. —Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2023 My expectation is that most of those who routinely earn more than $1 million will have the resources to avoid the Massachusetts tax all together by moving out of Massachusetts. —Matthew Erskine, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 California, Oklahoma and a handful of other states have declined to enforce noncompetes, and others ban them for workers who earn below a certain threshold. —Lindsay Ellis, WSJ, 13 Feb. 2023 These credits help customers earn exclusive dining and entertainment packages, hotel discounts, and more. —cleveland, 29 Jan. 2023 In Schroeder’s sophomore year, her 30 saves (including nine in overtime) helped the Terriers earn their first Beanpot title as a varsity program. —Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Jan. 2023 Walmart already has a program that helps some supply chain workers earn their commercial driver’s license to become a Walmart truck driver, a job that pays up to $110,000 in the first year. —Quartz, 24 Jan. 2023 See More
Verb
Net pay is the amount of money employees earn after payroll deductions are taken away from gross pay. —Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2023 One other player to watch is 1B Jack Gurevitch, a freshman from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame whose hitting in the fall should earn him some at-bats. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2023 Tenants would undergo screening, be subject to background and credit checks, and would earn about $20,000 to $40,000 per year – or about $10-$20 per hour. —Chicago Tribune, 14 Feb. 2023 My expectation is that most of those who routinely earn more than $1 million will have the resources to avoid the Massachusetts tax all together by moving out of Massachusetts. —Matthew Erskine, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 California, Oklahoma and a handful of other states have declined to enforce noncompetes, and others ban them for workers who earn below a certain threshold. —Lindsay Ellis, WSJ, 13 Feb. 2023 These credits help customers earn exclusive dining and entertainment packages, hotel discounts, and more. —cleveland, 29 Jan. 2023 In Schroeder’s sophomore year, her 30 saves (including nine in overtime) helped the Terriers earn their first Beanpot title as a varsity program. —Kat Cornetta, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Jan. 2023 Walmart already has a program that helps some supply chain workers earn their commercial driver’s license to become a Walmart truck driver, a job that pays up to $110,000 in the first year. —Quartz, 24 Jan. 2023 See More 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
Phrases Containing earn
Kids Definition
earn
verbˈərn
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
earned
verb
1
as in garnered
to receive as return for effort during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- garnered
- won
- gained
- reaped
- obtained
- made
- attained
- got
- landed
- secured
- acquired
- realized
- achieved
- captured
- procured
- carried
- drew
- brought in
- bagged
- pulled down
- came by
- scored
- knocked down
- accumulated
- netted
- accomplished
- amassed
- grossed
- regained
- occupied
- recaptured
- annexed
- cleared
- reacquired
- caught
- took over
- racked up
- picked up
- remade
- notched (up)
- reattained
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lost
- paid
- granted
- forfeited
- gave
- accorded
- yielded
- surrendered
- gave up
- relinquished
- handed over
- parted (with)
2
as in deserved
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
- deserved
- merited
- entitled
- rated
- qualified
- look (toward)
- look a fright
- look a gift horse in the mouth
- look after
- look ahead
- look around
- look askance at
- look at
- look back
- look before one leaps
- look daggers
- look daggers at
- look down
- look down (on or upon)
- look down (on)
- look down on
- look down on or upon
- look down one's nose
- look down one's nose (at)
- look down one's nose at
- look for
- look for trouble
- look forward
- look forward to
- look in on