Thanks for your insight. Perhaps I'm out-of-date on modern usage, but the very fact that it *was* in the Oxford Dictionary proves that it was, until recently, considered to be a valid word, and has been for most of my life. These things don't just disappear from language because one guy removes it from one source. 😃

Nonetheless, I do appreciate that fashions change. I am trying to remember to use ‘earned’ more often these days, especially when writing for an American audience. On this occasion, I forgot.

I do not want to change the headline because that might stop the algorithm from promoting my article, which has gained a lot of traction.

The British Editor didn't notice because it's still in normal usage in the UK, so to him, it looked fine. People will just have to forgive my old-fashioned Britishness. 🤣 But I appreciate your thoughts. I hope you are well.