underearn

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verb

To earn less than.

“Those who underearn should avoid overspending.”

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Meanings

verbunderearn (third-person singular simple present underearns, present participle underearning, simple past and past participle underearned)

present singular third person underearns · participle present underearning · participle past underearned · past underearned

  1. transitiveTo earn less than.

    “They have a dominant retail position in a high-service business, yet significantly underearn other high-service-oriented retail segments,” Mr. Balter wrote in a research note after Guitar Center made its announcement.

    2007 June 28, Reuters, “Equity Firm Is Acquiring Guitar Center”, in New York Times
  2. intransitiveTo earn less than might be expected.

    Those who underearn should avoid overspending.

Origin

From under- + earn.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

underearn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underearn

MLA

“underearn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underearn. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “underearn,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underearn.

Source: underearn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.