comeback

noun

come·back | \ ˈkəm-ˌbak

Definition of comeback

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a sharp or witty reply : retort

b : a cause for complaint

2 : a return to a former position or condition (as of success or prosperity) : recovery, revival staging his ultimate comeback from self-imposed exile— Howard Mandel

come back

verb

came back; come back; coming back; comes back

Definition of come back (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to return to life or vitality

2 : to return to memory it's all coming back to me now

3 : reply, retort when questioned, he came back with a vehement denial

4a : to regain a former favorable condition or position

b : to recover from a deficit in a contest or competition … it was the first time in NHL history that a team was down by three goals inside the final five minutes and came back to win a game.— Mike Harrington

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about comeback

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Synonyms for comeback

Synonyms: Noun

repartee, retort, riposte

Synonyms: Verb

convalesce, gain, heal, mend, pull round [chiefly British], rally, recoup, recover, recuperate, snap back

Examples of comeback in a Sentence

Noun

The species was nearly extinct but is now making a comeback. Short skirts were out of fashion for many years, but now they're making a comeback. The team was trailing after the first half, but they made a comeback and won in the second half. The team mounted a comeback in the second half of the season.

Verb

she's slowly coming back after being in a coma the American bald eagle was once nearly extinct but has come back strong

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

When the city got safer in the early 2000s, samba made a comeback. — Sarah Esther Maslin, 1843, "Rio is a riot in the early hours," 4 July 2019 Smith made a diving 35-yard touchdown catch during a comeback attempt that came up short at Lincoln Financial Field. — Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle, "Texans' Deshaun Watson, receivers to hold informal throwing sessions," 2 July 2019 The inability to move around was what ended the comeback attempt of former Washington quarterback Joe Theismann, who suffered a double break exactly 33 years before Smith’s injury. — Gary Peterson, The Mercury News, "Ex-49ers QB Alex Smith, medical device still pinned into his damaged leg, plans for a football comeback," 21 June 2019 The Packers continued their comeback attempt in the sixth inning when sophomore Teyghan Hovland blasted a two-run homer over the left-field fence to cut the Cadets’ lead to one. — Paul Hodowanic, Twin Cities, "Class 3A state baseball: St. Thomas Academy beats Austin to move into title game," 14 June 2019 Tuesday’s vote also features a comeback attempt by one of Virginia’s most colorful politicians. — Washington Post, "Feisty Virginia primaries closely watched for national trend," 11 June 2019 Tuesday's vote also features a comeback attempt by one of Virginia's most colorful politicians. — CBS News, "Virginia holds primary election as political watchers look for 2020 trends," 11 June 2019 Texas Tech staved off a Michigan State comeback attempt to win the second NCAA men’s basketball semifinal game on Saturday night, 61-51. — Rachel Bachman, WSJ, "Texas Tech and Virginia Head to NCAA Title Game," 7 Apr. 2019 The blues-rock musicians have dubbed their comeback performances the Group Therapy Tour. — Jason Keil, azcentral, "Lots of smiles at reunited Hootie & the Blowfish concert — both onstage and off," 20 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'comeback.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.