as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
as with many action movies, this one ends with a wild chase and an over-the-top fight sequence in which the bad guys finally get their comeuppance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of comeuppance
These tend to involve love affairs or status issues or shock revelations and result in dismayed reactions and abrupt comeuppances for previously unflappable characters.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
Years later, Tatiana will have her comeuppance, a development that will vicariously satisfy any woman who has seen a man underestimate her worth.
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
The ensuing tale of scandal and comeuppance frames the earlier portrayal of the artist as a young man.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Against a Tennessee team that had lost 11 straight home games and entered the day tied for the NFL’s worst record (2-12), the Chiefs were further humbled in this comeuppance of a season.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comeuppance
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Jan. 2026
Years later, Tatiana will have her comeuppance, a development that will vicariously satisfy any woman who has seen a man underestimate her worth.
—Rachel Howard, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Jan. 2026
The ensuing tale of scandal and comeuppance frames the earlier portrayal of the artist as a young man.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
Against a Tennessee team that had lost 11 straight home games and entered the day tied for the NFL’s worst record (2-12), the Chiefs were further humbled in this comeuppance of a season.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for comeuppance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comeuppance
Noun
-
But when the people responsible are caught, some are already hoping for the worst punishment possible.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But that behavior and actions cause for some type of punishment.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My refusal to accept his drinking has led him to cast his wrath upon me on occasion.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That would draw another defender out and leave a gap at the penalty spot.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Consumers and private health insurance plans would likely see the largest price increases under such a scenario, said Ciaccia, citing inflation penalties assessed when drug companies significantly raise prices for government health insurance programs Medicare and Medicaid.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Comeuppance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comeuppance. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
