adjective
-
not deserved
-
not yet earned
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.
Ultimately, Franco jettisons his characters for the sake of unearned plot twists that leave the viewer feeling only icky.
From Los Angeles Times
Britain’s top tax rates reached 95% on “unearned” income—or, as Harrison put it, “one for you, nineteen for me.”
Ryan got a taste of the majors in July 2024, making his debut against the San Francisco Giants with 5 ⅓ innings and allowing an unearned run.
From Los Angeles Times
Spears says of their Prodigal Son-inspired short, “It’s our way of showing how far God would go, across the divide. Everyone can identify with the idea of forgiveness and unearned grace.”
From Los Angeles Times
But there is no law for those wearing unearned medals - or those who simply lie about their background without dressing up in uniform.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
