earn one's wings

verb

To prove one's worth or merit.

Similar
earn one's stripesget one's wings
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Meanings

verbearn one's wings (third-person singular simple present earns one's wings, present participle earning one's wings, simple past and past participle earned one's wings or earnt one's wings)

present singular third person earns one's wings · participle present earning one's wings · participle past earned one's wings · past earned one's wings · participle past earnt one's wings · past earnt one's wings

  1. To prove one's worth or merit.

    Synonyms: earn one's stripes, get one's wings

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo prove one's worth or merit.

Similar
earn one's stripesget one's wings
Also see
earn one's stripes

Origin

From the film It's a Wonderful Life, in which Charlie has to prove himself to earn his wings as a full-fledged angel.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

earn one's wings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earn%20one's%20wings

MLA

“earn one's wings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earn%20one's%20wings. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “earn one's wings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/earn%20one's%20wings.

Source: earn one's wings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.