unearned

[uhn-urnd]

adjective

1. not received in exchange for labor or services; not gained by lawful work or employment.

2. not earned; earn; unmerited; undeserved.

   unearned promotion.

3. not yet earned: earn.

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

unearned

/ ʌnˈɜːnd /

adjective

1. not deserved

2. not yet earned

Word History and Origins

Origin of unearned¹

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

Example Sentences

Even so, I could not gain any purchase on this novel, which has unearned confidence in the poignancy of what seems like a very tedious relationship.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The governor was enmeshed in several other scandals, including allegations that she strong-armed a state official into giving her daughter an unearned certification as a real estate appraiser.

Read more on Salon

Those miscues resulted in a remarkable 103 unearned runs, which wasn’t just the most in baseball this year—but the most in baseball in 25 years.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He gave up only two unearned runs in 6 ⅔ innings with nine strikeouts, and he’s clearly ready for the next step.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Blur even satirized grunge music with its megahit “Song 2,” a song of nonsense lyrics and unearned vim.

Read more on Los Angeles Times