earnings

USAGE SUMMARY

"earnings" is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it to refer to the money someone earns or to the profits or income of a company or organization. For example, "The company's quarterly earnings report showed a net profit of $2 million."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Galloway says that he earned £265,350 – almost four times his parliamentary salary – in outside earnings.

The Guardian

On an underlying basis, as measured by earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, the Guardian and Observer lost £22m, but the cash loss, a more accurate measure of financial performance, was larger at £33m.

The Guardian

Thus it was able to predict "double-digit" enhancement to earnings in the first year of ownership; if achieved, that would be a good start.

The Guardian

"The earnings concession on superannuation is the fastest growing tax concession in the federal budget," he planned to tell his audience.

The Guardian

If a better consumer environment does mean more drop-through [to profits], the impact on consensus earnings per share could be significant".

The Guardian

Changes to indexation arrangements for pensions – sidelined and set to be replaced Pension rises were to be indexed to inflation rather than a combination of inflation, the pensioner living cost index and as a percentage of average weekly male earnings.

The Guardian

Paul Polman, chief executive of Unilever, who has joined the B Team, has for several years been critical of the tyranny of quarterly earnings reports and famously said he no longer wanted short term investors to buy shares in the company.

The Guardian

Its first-quarter revenue was $9.86bn, up 38% year on the year and well ahead of Wall Street expectations, but earnings fell a third to $201m.

The Guardian

Slowly the economy began to move forward helped by tourism, which now employs a third of the working population and accounts for about 60% of foreign exchange earnings.

The Guardian - Travel

All3Media reported earnings of £50.5m in the 12 months to the end of August last year, according to Companies House.

The Guardian

There are gratuitous new restrictions on an already heavily curtailed right to strike, plans to rob the earnings of migrants who may work hard but lack the proper paperwork, and such a sweeping ban on legal highs that government lawyers could soon be fretting about accidentally criminalising sweets that give a sugar rush.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing a company's financial health, use "earnings" to specifically refer to its profits after expenses. For broader financial gains, consider using "income" or "revenue".

Common error

Avoid using "earnings" interchangeably with "revenue". "Revenue" is the total income, while "earnings" represent profits after deducting costs.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "earnings" is as a noun, referring to the monetary gains or profits acquired by an individual or a business. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable word. It functions as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

22%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "earnings" functions primarily as a noun referring to financial gains or profits. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and frequently used in various contexts, predominantly within news, business, and scientific domains. While "earnings" is often interchanged with terms like "income", "revenue", and ""profits"", it's crucial to understand the nuances to maintain clarity in writing. This analysis offers practical guidelines for its optimal usage and helps to avoid common errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

income

Refers more broadly to the total money received, not necessarily from business operations.

revenue

Focuses on the total amount of money a company receives from its sales.

profits

Implies the amount of money remaining after deducting all costs from revenue.

income

Suggests a regular flow of money received, often referring to salary or wages.

financial gains

Broader term indicating any increase in wealth.

returns

Often used in the context of investment gains.

compensation

Relates specifically to payment received for work or services.

pay

A general term for money earned from employment.

remuneration

A formal term for payment for services rendered.

dividends

Specifically refers to payments made to shareholders from company profits.

FAQs

How to use "earnings" in a sentence?

You can use "earnings" to refer to wages, business profits, or gains on investments. For example, "The company reported higher "profits" due to increased sales".

What can I say instead of "earnings"?

You can use alternatives like "income", "revenue", or ""profits"" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "earnings" or "revenue"?

"Earnings" and "revenue" are both correct, but they have different meanings. "Revenue" refers to total income, while "earnings" refers to profits after expenses are deducted.

What's the difference between "earnings" and "income"?

"Earnings" often refers specifically to profits from a business or investment, while "income" is a broader term that can include wages, salaries, and other sources of money.