earnest money
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of earnest money
First recorded in 1550–60
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.
You would also likely end up losing any deposits or earnest money you have paid thus far.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 12, 2026
That deposit, often called earnest money, is typically 1% to 3% of the home price.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
I only went through with the purchase because I didn’t want to lose $50,000 earnest money and I thought we were going to instantly put it back on market to try to break even.
From Slate • Nov. 21, 2022
“With new construction, you usually only have 15 to 30 days, depending on the contract, to get your earnest money back,” Rueth says.
From Washington Post • Mar. 17, 2022
“You and your husband had recently put down earnest money on this land. Is that correct, Mrs. Heine?”
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
