earn and urn are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. earn means “earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages”. urn means “a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet”. earn is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈɝn/
1.v.earn on some commercial or business transaction; earn as salary or wages
“How much do you make a month in your new job?”
2.v.acquire or deserve by one's efforts or actions
“its beauty won Paris the name 'City of Lights'”
/ˈɝn/
| earn | urn | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɝn/ | /ˈɝn/ |
| Said | urn | urn |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | verb | noun |
| Senses | 2 | 2 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | gain, take in, clear | none recorded |
1.n.a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet
2.n.a large pot for making coffee or tea