earn
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to gain or get in return for one's labor or service.
to earn one's living.
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to merit as compensation, as for service; deserve.
to receive more than one has earned.
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to acquire through merit.
to earn a reputation for honesty.
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to gain as due return or profit.
Savings accounts earn interest.
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to bring about or cause deservedly.
His fair dealing earned our confidence.
verb (used without object)
verb (used without object)
verb
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to gain or be paid (money or other payment) in return for work or service
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(tr) to acquire, merit, or deserve through behaviour or action
he has earned a name for duplicity
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(tr) (of securities, investments, etc) to gain (interest, return, profit, etc)
Related Words
See gain 1.
Other Word Forms
- earner noun
Etymology
Origin of earn1
First recorded before 900; Middle English ern(i)en Old English earnian; akin to Old High German arnēn “to earn, harvest”
Origin of earn2
First recorded in 1570–80; perhaps variant of yearn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Similar to last year, the vast majority of the 18 to 20 new openings in 2026 are expected to be outside of California,” the company’s chief executive, Liz Williams, said on an earnings call Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times
The film earned the grand jury prize at the Venice Film Festival.
From Los Angeles Times
Not long ago, most NFL players had financial incentive to play as long as possible because their earnings weren’t enough to ensure a lifetime of financial stability.
From Los Angeles Times
And without share repurchases, share counts would creep higher, putting pressure on another important financial metric: earnings per share.
From Barron's
Some analysts estimate that Moscow now earns $150 million a day from oil sales.
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.
