Word
earnings
Phoneticsearn·ings, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɝnɪŋz/
UK/ˈɜːnɪŋz/
Definitions
01wages or salary
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun
n. the money you get for the work you do.
n. the total amount of money an individual receives as compensation for their labour or services.
日本語:稼ぎ※
“Average weekly earnings have increased slightly over the last year.”
“Despite the rising cost of living, real earnings for middle-income families have remained largely stagnant for nearly a decade.”
Usage
Always used in the plural form and requires a plural verb.
Pitfall
His earning is very high.
His earnings are very high.
The word 'earnings' is always plural and takes a plural verb.
02company profit
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Business Academic
n. the profit a company makes after paying its costs.
n. the net income or profit of a corporation over a specific fiscal period.
日本語:収益※
“The tech company reported record earnings for the third quarter.”
“The corporation's quarterly earnings exceeded analyst expectations, leading to a sharp increase in share price during after-hours trading.”
Usage
Commonly used in financial reporting and stock market analysis.
Teaching tip
In a business context, 'earnings' often refers specifically to 'earnings per share' (EPS) when discussed by investors.
Synonyms
Antonyms
03investment returns
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Finance Formal
n. the money you make from your investments or savings.
n. the financial gains or returns generated by capital investments.
日本語:収益※
“She reinvested her earnings from the stock market into a new business.”
“Long-term investors are generally more concerned with the stability of their earnings than with short-term market volatility.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “earnings” in context.
Verb
01. boost earnings
“The new marketing strategy was designed specifically to boost earnings in the retail sector.”
verb + noun
02. report earnings
“Tech giants are expected to report earnings later this week, which may cause market volatility.”
verb + noun
03. supplement your earnings
“Many teachers take on private tutoring to supplement their earnings during the summer break.”
verb + possessive + noun
Adjective
04. annual earnings
“The company reported a significant increase in its annual earnings compared to the previous fiscal year.”
adj + noun
05. potential earnings
“Graduates from top-tier universities often have much higher potential earnings over their lifetime.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. earnings growth
“Investors were impressed by the consistent earnings growth the startup demonstrated over three years.”
noun + noun
07. loss of earnings
“The court awarded him damages to compensate for the loss of earnings he suffered after the accident.”
noun + of + noun
08. earnings call
Real-World Examples
“On their first earnings call since SpaceX's June public offering, executives said the company is pouring funds into rocket development, Starlink satellites and AI.” “Since 2011, pension increases have been guaranteed by the triple lock - which means the rise will either match the rate of inflation, average earnings or 2.5% - whichever is higher.” “Its earliest customers are mostly in high-frequency trading firms who are being charged between $60,000-$100,000 (£44,000-£74,000) a month for the service, interim chief executive officer Kevin McGurn said during an earnings call.” Etymology
From earning + -s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/earnings
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0