1
as in winning
to receive as return for effort
during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deserving
to be or make worthy of (as a reward or punishment)
you've earned the afternoon off after all that hard work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of earning
Cape Verde then closed the group stage by earning draws against Uruguay on June 21 and Saudi Arabia on June 26.
—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
4 July 2026
Some of the world’s most successful companies are built on it, earning their profits on services layered atop an open core.
—
David Siegel,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
From his first Guardians of the Galaxy movie on, Gunn established himself as the master of the movie soundtrack and the all-important needle drop, earning praise for finding the right song and dropping it at the right time.
—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
Once again, the couple dominated the news cycle, earning 13 million YouTube views in 24 hours.
—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
3 July 2026
Raisel Iglesias gave up a run-scoring single to Bo Bichette in the ninth before earning his 17th save.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
The 26-year-old shooting guard spent two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization, earning an NBA championship ring in 2025 before playing for the Austin Spurs last season.
—
Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
After beginning his first full professional season in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and then earning a promotion to Class-A this season, 23-year-old Owen Rice has abruptly ended his career, according to the official transaction log.
—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The wide receiver spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, helping the franchise win Super Bowl XXXI and earning Pro Bowl honors in 1998.
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
4 July 2026
Some of the world’s most successful companies are built on it, earning their profits on services layered atop an open core.
—
David Siegel,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
From his first Guardians of the Galaxy movie on, Gunn established himself as the master of the movie soundtrack and the all-important needle drop, earning praise for finding the right song and dropping it at the right time.
—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
3 July 2026
Once again, the couple dominated the news cycle, earning 13 million YouTube views in 24 hours.
—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
3 July 2026
Raisel Iglesias gave up a run-scoring single to Bo Bichette in the ninth before earning his 17th save.
—
ABC News,
3 July 2026
The 26-year-old shooting guard spent two years with the Oklahoma City Thunder organization, earning an NBA championship ring in 2025 before playing for the Austin Spurs last season.
—
Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
After beginning his first full professional season in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and then earning a promotion to Class-A this season, 23-year-old Owen Rice has abruptly ended his career, according to the official transaction log.
—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
The wide receiver spent most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, helping the franchise win Super Bowl XXXI and earning Pro Bowl honors in 1998.
—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for earning
Verb
-
France has been the dominant team of this World Cup, winning all four of its games while outsourcing opponents 13-2.
-
Spanish fans are putting a lot of hope on Yamal as the national team has failed to make it past the round of 16 since winning the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Verb
-
While box office success is uncertain against competition, it's touted as a cool blockbuster deserving a premium viewing experience.
-
Typically, deserving candidates are sure things in one bucket or another.
Verb
-
To remain tuition-free, Miss Major Middle is launching as a microschool, a nontraditional educational model gaining traction nationwide.
-
Living with less and gaining more Life here isn’t perfect.
Verb
-
The beloved southern elephant seal, Neil the Seal, is back in Tasmania, causing havoc yet again and garnering fans through his antics.
-
Each item has a domestic value of 70 percent or more, making the cut based on the FTC’s parameters and garnering an impressive fan club of New Balance loyalists who prefer shopping local.
Verb
-
And business owners, including Paulo, are reaping the benefits during Canada’s four games.
-
Surging demand for artificial intelligence has pushed many AI and tech stocks higher in recent months, with markets in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan reaping big gains.
Verb
-
But making their wishes known ahead of time is key to maintaining independence even as life situations change, said Kweli Rashied-Henry, interim director of Fulton County Senior Services.
-
In fact, a single cup of pomegranate arils contains about 7 grams of fiber, making the fruit beneficial for digestive health and promoting fullness.
Verb
-
Trimpey also faces a felony charge of obtaining money by false pretenses.
-
Trump slashed access to healthcare benefits and prohibited deferred action holders from obtaining or using commercial driver’s licenses.
Verb
-
Farmer, who had a right forearm strain, went 2-for-20 with a home run at Columbus while getting reps at catcher.
-
Reaching such a stage would be the third World Cup final in succession for France, after getting their hands on the trophy in 2018 and losing to Argentina last time around.
Cite this Entry
“Earning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earning. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
