return 1 of 2

Definition of returnnext
1
as in to restore
to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place when I'm done reading a book, I always return it to the very shelf I got it from

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2
as in to yield
to produce as revenue this technology stock is expected to return a healthy profit

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3
as in to respond
to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction when I asked him to sit down to dinner, he returned that he would come when he was good and ready

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4
as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level vowed to do anything to keep the recovering alcoholic from returning to his dissolute ways

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return

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in revenue
an increase usually measured in money that comes from labor, business, or property if we buy better equipment, we'll be able to make the product faster, thus getting a better return on our investment

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3
as in proceeds
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received the return on each unit sold has increased since we streamlined the production process

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb return contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of return are reciprocate, requite, and retaliate. While all these words mean "to give back usually in kind or in quantity," return implies a paying or giving back.

returned their call
return good for evil

In what contexts can reciprocate take the place of return?

Although the words reciprocate and return have much in common, reciprocate implies a mutual or equivalent exchange or a paying back of what one has received.

reciprocated their hospitality by inviting them for a visit

When is requite a more appropriate choice than return?

In some situations, the words requite and return are roughly equivalent. However, requite implies a paying back according to one's preference and often not equivalently.

requited her love with cold indifference

When is it sensible to use retaliate instead of return?

The synonyms retaliate and return are sometimes interchangeable, but retaliate usually implies a paying back of injury in exact kind, often vengefully.

the enemy retaliated by executing their prisoners

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 return
Verb
Tubajika’s father left Congo in 1985 for a PhD at LSU and has never returned. Franklin Leonard, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026 The election drubbing cemented doubts among many Labor lawmakers about Starmer’s judgment, vision and leadership ability — a brutal indictment on a leader who returned the party to power in July 2024 after 14 years in opposition. Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Noun
The compound returns over six months will be worth more than any productivity hack based on willpower alone. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026 That means the interest rate structure will vary, as will the rates and subsequent returns on each. Matt Richardson, CBS News, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
Verb
  • This was the era of decolonization, when nation-states delivered one-third of humanity from the humiliation of imperial rule, restoring political autonomy and dignity where they had long been removed.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Real change begins when communities insist on solutions that restore dignity, stability, and hope rather than pushing people out of sight.
    Shianne LeClaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • Chicago starter Ben Brown (1-2) yielded three runs on seven hits and two walks in five innings, his longest outing this season.
    CBS News, CBS News, 20 May 2026
  • Canning yielded a lead-off single in the second and walked the first batter in the third but retired the next three batters both times.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • The day before, the forest service responded to eight wildfire requests covering roughly 24,700 acres on Thursday.
    Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 16 May 2026
  • Coroner Tania Zech responded to the scene to investigate and certify the death, and the Hicks family has been identified, the press release said.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Any money remaining in the fund will revert back to the federal government, the department said.
    Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • Specifically, axolotl cells have an unusual ability to revert into a more flexible, developmental state after injury.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • But these problems are symptoms of a lack of housing and services, not evidence that policing is the right response.
    Shianne LeClaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
  • Fox News Digital has reached out to the CIF for a response.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • These days, teams’ payrolls are capped and the league’s revenue is shared.
    Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
  • In 2024, the latest year for which there’s complete data, the top 1% of California taxpayers accounted for 40% of the total state income tax revenue, the FTB reported.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • The parliamentarian kept most of the immigration portion of the legislation intact, though some minor provisions were blocked, including Customs and Border Patrol funds to hire, train and pay Border Patrol agents.
    Mary Clare Jalonick, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
  • The court also ordered them to pay Djena nearly three hundred thousand dollars in restitution.
    Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Verb
  • The White House, the office of the Director of National Intelligence and the CIA did not reply to questions about Cuban drones.
    Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 19 May 2026
  • Just three people have replied to the post.
    Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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