Definition

Adjective: 1. Not gained through work, effort, or merit: Refers to something received without having been earned by one's own labor or deserving actions. 2. (In sports, especially baseball): Refers to a run scored as a result of errors by the opposing team, not by hits or skillful play by the batting team. 3. (In economics/finance): Refers to income received from investments, property, or inheritance, as opposed to wages or salary from employment.

Usage and Examples

• General Meaning (Not gained by merit or work):
  • He felt guilty about his unearned privilege.
  • The criticism was harsh and largely unearned.
• In Sports (Baseball):
  • The pitcher was charged with an unearned run after the shortstop's error.
• In Economics/Finance:
  • Her wealth comes from unearned income like stock dividends and rental properties.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "Unearned increment": An economic term for an increase in the value of land or property due to external factors (like population growth or new infrastructure), not due to the owner's effort or investment.
  • The city's new subway line led to an unearned increment for nearby landowners.
• The concept often carries a moral or ethical dimension, contrasting with the value placed on "earning" something through hard work.

Variants and Related Words

• Unearned income (n): Money received from sources other than employment, such as interest, dividends, or rent.
• Unearned run (n): A baseball statistic for a run that scores due to defensive errors.
• Earned (adj): The direct antonym, meaning gained through work or merit.

Synonyms

• Undeserved: Not warranted, merited, or earned (often used for negative things like criticism).
• Unmerited: Similar to undeserved.
• Windfall: A sudden, unexpected gain (often financial).

Antonyms

• Earned
• Deserved
• Merited

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Unearned advantage/privilege: Benefits one receives through circumstance (like birth or social position) rather than personal achievement.
  • The program aims to address systemic inequalities that create unearned advantage.

Adjective

1. not gained by merit or labor or service
   • accepted the unearned rewards that came his ways as well as the unearned criticism
   • unearned income
   • an unearned run