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View synonyms for

earn

1

[ urn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to gain or get in return for one's labor or service:

    to earn one's living.

    Synonyms: , , ,

  2. to merit as compensation, as for service; deserve:

    to receive more than one has earned.

  3. to acquire through merit:

    to earn a reputation for honesty.

  4. to gain as due return or profit:

    Savings accounts earn interest.

  5. to bring about or cause deservedly:

    His fair dealing earned our confidence.



verb (used without object)

  1. to gain income:

    securities that earn on a quarterly basis.

earn

2

[ urn ]

verb (used without object)

Obsolete.
  1. to grieve.

earn

/ ɜː /

verb

  1. to gain or be paid (money or other payment) in return for work or service
  2. tr to acquire, merit, or deserve through behaviour or action

    he has earned a name for duplicity

  3. tr (of securities, investments, etc) to gain (interest, return, profit, etc)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • 𲹰İ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of earn1

First recorded before 900; Middle English ern(i)en Old English earnian; akin to Old High German ŧ “to earn, harvest”

Origin of earn2

First recorded in 1570–80; perhaps variant of yearn
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Word History and Origins

Origin of earn1

Old English earnian; related to Old High German ŧ to reap, Old Saxon asna salary, tithe
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Idioms and Phrases

  • penny saved is a penny earned
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Synonym Study

See gain 1.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

And in the space where all that striving used to live, something unexpected arrived: love that didn’t need to be chased, fixed or earned.

From

She finished second in a qualifier at Soboba Springs Golf Course, earning her a spot in the tournament, which will be held May 29-June 1 at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis.

From

She also earned a master’s degree in public administration and policy from Cal State Long Beach and has worked for the South Gate city attorney’s office and Los Angeles mayor’s office, according to her bio.

From

Liverpool have been beaten just twice in the league this season - once at Anfield - and have the best home record in the top flight, having earned 41 points from 16 games.

From

Despite that, I just have a feeling that City are going to put in a good performance here, and earn the right to reach their third straight FA Cup final.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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earmuffearned income