Sign in
Win, earn, or gain
Win is to come first in a contest or get a prize, earn is to get money or credit for your work, and gain is to get more of something.
Quick rule
Contest, prize, or draw? Win. Pay or credit for your work? Earn. Weight, experience, or access? Gain.
To be the most successful in a contest, or to get something as the result of one: win a race, win a prize.
To get money for work you do, or to get something you deserve because of what you did: earn a salary, earn respect.
To get more of something, often gradually: gain weight, gain experience, gain access.
How to choose
| Question | win | earn | gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is it a contest or a draw (___ the match)? | Yes | No | No |
| Is it pay for work (___ $20 an hour)? | No | Yes | No |
| Is it adding weight or experience little by little (___ weight, ___ experience)? | No | No | Yes |
Why it trips people up
Win, earn, and gain all mean getting something, but from different sources: a contest, work, or gradual growth. They get mixed up when a writer thinks of the result and not of how it was reached.
How each one works
Win
Being first in a contest
Our school won the science fair last year.
Getting a prize
He won a free trip to Cancún in a radio contest.
Getting support through effort
The mayor worked hard to win the support of the neighbors.
Earn
Money for work
He earns ten dollars an hour at the car wash.
Getting something through effort
She earned her degree while working at night.
Points or interest you collect
You earn points every time you use the card.
Gain
Getting heavier
I gained three kilos during the holidays.
Getting something little by little
Interns gain experience in a real office.
Getting access
Only staff can gain access to the lab.
Growing in confidence
She gained confidence after her first speech.
What comes next
win plus contest or prize
We won the quiz night at the pub.
win plus support or trust
The new coach won the trust of the players.
earn plus money plus per hour or month
She earns about two thousand dollars a month.
earn plus something deserved (respect, reputation)
The bakery earned a great reputation.
gain plus weight, experience, or access
Our class gained two new students in March.
gain plus from
You can gain a lot from this course.
Set phrases
Win
- win or lose
- whether you succeed or fail
- win support
- to get people to agree with you or help you
Earn
- earn your stripes
- to get a position you deserve through work or achievements
- earn interest
- to get extra money from a bank account
Gain
- gain ground
- to become more powerful or successful
- gain weight
- to become heavier
Almost the same
He won a scholarship.
He got it in a contest or selection.
He earned a scholarship.
He got it through his own merit.
She won a lot of money.
A prize, from luck or a contest.
She earned a lot of money.
She was paid for her work.
She gained a lot of weight.
She added it gradually.
In a conversation
- A:
Did you win anything at the school fair?
- B:
I won a stuffed bear! My brother earned some money selling lemonade.
- A:
Did he gain any regular customers?
- B:
A few. He even gained a little confidence talking to strangers.
Common mistakes
Wrong: My aunt earned the lottery in December.
Right: My aunt won the lottery in December.
A prize from a draw is won. Earn needs work or merit behind it.
Wrong: He wins twenty dollars an hour at the car wash.
Right: He earns twenty dollars an hour at the car wash.
Pay for work is earned. Win is for contests, draws, and prizes.
Memory trick
Think about where it comes from. From a match or a draw: win. From work or something you did: earn. From adding a little more of something (weight, experience, customers): gain.
It depends
- Win through effort
- Oxford also lists win for getting something you want by your own efforts: win support, win a contract. Here it overlaps with earn.
- Respect and trust
- With respect and trust, all three verbs are heard. Earn stresses that you deserved it because of what you did.
FAQ
What is the difference between win and earn?
Win is for contests and prizes. Earn is for pay or credit you get through work or merit.
Is it earn or gain respect?
Both are used. Earn respect stresses that you deserved it; gain respect just says you got more of it.
Can you win money and earn money?
Yes, but they are different. You win money in a draw or contest, and you earn money through work.