earned run

noun

: a run in baseball that scores without benefit of an error before the fielding team has had a chance to make the third putout of the inning

Examples of earned run in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Pitchers will have odds for strikeouts, walks, hits allowed, earned runs allowed, and outs recorded. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Skubal will take the ball on seven days’ rest after shining in his Dodgers postseason debut, allowing one earned run and striking out seven over six innings against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the NLDS. — Katie Woo, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2026 In his first postseason start since Game 4 of the World Series, right-hander Gerrit Cole was stellar over five innings, holding the Rays to only one earned run on five hits, walking one and striking out five. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026 What about Emmet Sheehan, who has pitched great in his return (one earned run in 17 innings, giving up six hits and walking three while striking out 24)? — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earned run

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of earned run was in 1871

Rhymes for earned run

See All Rhymes for earned run

Browse Nearby Words

earn a/one's crust
earned run
earned run average
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Earned run.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earned%20run. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

earned run

noun
: a run in baseball that scores without benefit of an error
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All