unearned

American

[uhn-urnd] / ʌnˈɜrnd /

adjective

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

unearned promotion.
not yet earned: earn.

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

unearned British

/ ʌnˈɜːnd /

adjective

not deserved
not yet earned

"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

Etymology

Origin of unearned

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

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.

The Kiddie Tax can apply to unearned income for certain children under 24, making it partly taxed at the parents’ rate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Imposters like Jonathan Carley, who was fined £500 for dressing as a rear admiral without permission, complete with an array of impressive but unearned medals he bought online.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

The unearned income is taxed at the same rate as wages.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

By September 2025, Booker announced their engagement on Instagram, calling her “one of the greatest unearned blessings of my life.”

From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025

Most of them uncouth, although very few were unearned.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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