homecoming

noun

home·​com·​ing ˈhōm-ˌkə-miŋ 

1

: a return home

a soldier's homecoming

2

: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home

especially : an annual celebration for alumni at a high school, college, or university

—often used before another noun

a homecoming rally

homecoming weekend

the annual homecoming game/dance

was elected the homecoming queen

Examples of homecoming in a Sentence

A large crowd gathered at the airport for the soldiers' homecoming.

Recent Examples on the Web

And inside a stadium dressed for Miami Norland’s homecoming celebration, the noise gradually began coming from the wrong sideline. — D’joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026

Adam Copeland will wrestle in Maple Leaf Gardens for what’s expected to be a very special homecoming for the legendary wrestler. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Levy — whose directing career began with a number of Disney Channel series — framed his decision to leave Netflix as a kind of homecoming. — Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026

The trip will also be a homecoming for the Wildcats’ star center, Luigi Suigo, one of the top international prospects eligible for the June NBA Draft. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for homecoming

• overcoming
• unbecoming
• becoming
• forthcoming
• incoming
• oncoming
• shortcoming
• succumbing
• upcoming
• coming
• cumming
• drumming

Kids Definition

homecoming

noun

home·​com·​ing ˈhōm-ˌkəm-ing 

1

: a return home

2

a

: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented

b

: a yearly celebration for alumni at a school