Cool MateEarn this vs Secure
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Earn this
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Secure
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
Most common: Secure
| Earn this | Secure | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɜːn ðɪs//🇺🇸 //ɜrn ðɪs// | 🇬🇧 /["/sɪˈkjʊə(r)/","/sɪˈkjʊəz/","/sɪˈkjʊəd/","/sɪˈkjʊərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sɪˈkjʊr/","/sɪˈkjʊrz/","/sɪˈkjʊrd/","/sɪˈkjʊrɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Get something by working for it. | To make safe or protect something. |
| Example | If you want to play on the team, you need to earn this opportunity. | We need to secure the doors before we leave for the night. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | earn this respect, earn this privilege, earn this opportunity, earn this trust, earn this title | easily, safely, eventually, be able to, manage to, fail to, an attempt to secure something, an effort to secure something, be aimed at securing something, firmly, properly, tightly, to, with |
| Antonyms | - | danger, unsecure, risk |
| Common mistakes | Using 'earn' without specifying what is being earned., Confusing 'earn' with 'win' in casual contexts., Assuming 'this' refers only to money or salary. | Confused with 'ensure' - 'ensure' means to make sure something happens., Using 'secured' as an adjective when it should be a verb., Misplacing the emphasis on the second syllable. |
| Usage notes | Use 'earn this' in contexts where someone needs to work hard or prove themselves to get something. It's often motivational. | Used to indicate making something safe, but can also mean to obtain or achieve something. More common in formal contexts when referring to safety and in neutral situations for obtaining. |
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Frequently asked questions: Earn this vs Secure
What's the difference between Earn this and Secure?
Earn this: Get something by working for it. Secure: To make safe or protect something.
Which is more common: Earn this and Secure?
Secure is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Earn this: If you want to play on the team, you need to earn this opportunity. Secure: We need to secure the doors before we leave for the night.
Can I use Earn this and Secure interchangeably?
Not always. Earn this and Secure are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.