EARN Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

earn

verb

ˈərn

Definition of earn

as in to win

to receive as return for effort during my teen years I earned pocket money by mowing lawns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to deserve

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 earn The Falcons took a lengthy look at their starters and survived a second-half push to earn a 17-12 victory over the Dolphins on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Movies in this class are, paradigmatically, produced, written, and directed by the same person, who generally also plays the devastatingly handsome romantic lead (and often funds the proceedings with money earned in some unrelated capacity). — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 Volkswagen’s prosperity was recently based on two pillars – huge profits earned in China, and the highly successful German base where its engineers led the world for decades in making and exporting advanced sedans and SUVs. — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Their partnership also earned Parton her first Grammy nomination in 1970. — Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for earn

Recent Examples of Synonyms for earn

Verb

The contestants will have to design a wedding dress that showcases their style, and the winning design will be produced and sold by David’s Bridal.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
In the final moments of the game, Chad scores the game-winning touchdown, but a penalty sets them back with just two seconds left on the clock.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of win

Verb

Oswego finished seven of its 11 drives by scoring points and gained 483 yards.

— Jerry Birchfield, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Iceland, which gained independence from Denmark in 1944, has a proud history of independence, of not allowing itself to be pushed around by bigger and richer European nations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of gain

Verb

Opponents also rallied around the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that come with full membership.

— Kwiyeon Ha, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Opponents rallied around fishing and the fact that Iceland already reaps benefits from being in the EU’s frictionless single market and the Schengen free-travel zone without the sovereignty compromises that inevitably come with full membership.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of reap

Verb

Over the years, Allen has garnered praise from Inter Miami coaches for playing bigger than his size (5-9), for his versatility and coachability.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026
After world premiering in 1990 in Cannes, where Depardieu won Best Actor, the film enjoyed a buzzy awards season garnering five nominations in the lead up to the 63rd Academy Awards, including for Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of garner

Verb

Bonnell is the latest company to make that argument, launching the new 805 RX as the first model in its e-Moto lineup.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Also, supportive connections between Mercury and Mars make this a great time for addressing personal matters with a clear head and common sense.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of make

Verb

According to the police documents obtained by Law & Crime, Weatherall, 22, ordered a Lyft ride to an apartment complex in Greenville.

— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 2026
After obtaining the suspect's name and descriptions of both the man and his vehicle, DeLong cleared the call.

— Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of obtain

Verb

When the earnings release first hit the tape, the stock initially moved higher by a couple of percentage points, only to reverse course before the conference call even got underway.

— Zev Fima, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
But then Sandy stops by for a friendly chat, and his daughter Nina (Zosia Mamet, ice-cold and slightly underused) gets serious.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of get

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earmarks

earn

earned

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Style

“Earn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/earn. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of earn

verb

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