unearned

[ uhn-urnd ]

adjective

1. not received in exchange for labor or services; not gained by lawful work or employment.
2. not earned; earn; unmerited; undeserved:

   unearned promotion.

3. not yet earned: earn:

   Lenders are not permitted to take borrowers' unearned wages as collateral.

unearned

/ ʌnˈɜːnd /

adjective

1. not deserved
2. not yet earned

Word History and Origins

Origin of unearned¹

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; un- ¹, earn ¹, -ed ²

Example Sentences

So, when progressives argue that white people have achieved success because of unearned privileges or by capitalizing on evil institutions, they bristle.

From Salon

In her letter, Ms Allen said foxes had “unearned reputations” as pests and this was partly due to derogatory descriptions of them.

From BBC

As if on cue, the Dodgers scored five unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning, waking up the comatose Paradise crowd.

From Los Angeles Times

While King gave up just an unearned run in five innings, Knack ran out of gas in a four-inning, four-run outing; a concerning result for an unproven pitcher who likely will start in the postseason.

From Los Angeles Times

The Dodgers also committed three errors, paving the way for the Brewers to score four unearned runs, and their win streak was snapped at five.

From Los Angeles Times