hard-earned
adjective
: achieved or acquired through a lot of effort or hard work
Someone stole all her hard-earned money.
a hard-earned victory
Examples of hard-earned in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Every step forward is hard-earned, but for the entrepreneurs committed to improving lives, the payoff is worth it.
—
Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Ole Miss is miles better on paper, but the Gators just convincingly beat LSU, and wins in Gainesville are traditionally hard-earned.
—The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Advertisement Olympics Shaun White’s run as greatest snowboarder ever is coming to an end
Feb. 10, 2022
That look of surprise was hard-earned, White told Vogue in an interview published Wednesday.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
As the campaign continues, this debate may become a pivotal moment for voters looking for a steady hand in leadership, especially in communities where trust in political leaders has been hard-earned.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 11 Sep. 2024
By turns funny, dark, and inspirational in a way that feels hard-earned and genuine rather than glib or saccharine, Alone is a show about seizing the moment that could only have come from Rothwell’s scrupulous examination of her own life.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
Commercial aviation is remarkably safe, but that near-pristine safety record was hard-earned.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 3 May 2024
During his time in Queens, Grote developed a tough-nosed reputation where respect was hard-earned.
—David Matthews, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2024
Their sense of whimsy and their ability to realize it in metal and stone has been hard-earned through consistent effort, decade after decade—which isn’t an entirely inaccurate definition of the horological arts.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
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.
Alexander Puutio, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Ole Miss is miles better on paper, but the Gators just convincingly beat LSU, and wins in Gainesville are traditionally hard-earned.
—The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Advertisement Olympics Shaun White’s run as greatest snowboarder ever is coming to an end
Feb. 10, 2022
That look of surprise was hard-earned, White told Vogue in an interview published Wednesday.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
As the campaign continues, this debate may become a pivotal moment for voters looking for a steady hand in leadership, especially in communities where trust in political leaders has been hard-earned.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 11 Sep. 2024
By turns funny, dark, and inspirational in a way that feels hard-earned and genuine rather than glib or saccharine, Alone is a show about seizing the moment that could only have come from Rothwell’s scrupulous examination of her own life.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024
Commercial aviation is remarkably safe, but that near-pristine safety record was hard-earned.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 3 May 2024
During his time in Queens, Grote developed a tough-nosed reputation where respect was hard-earned.
—David Matthews, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2024
Their sense of whimsy and their ability to realize it in metal and stone has been hard-earned through consistent effort, decade after decade—which isn’t an entirely inaccurate definition of the horological arts.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 12 Apr. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near hard-earned
Cite this Entry
“Hard-earned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hard-earned. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share