1
a
: a sharp or witty reply : retort
b
: a cause for complaint
came back; come back; coming back; comes back
1
: to return to life or vitality
2
: to return to memory
it's all coming back to me now
4
a
: 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
Mike Harrington
Synonyms
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
See More
Recent Examples on the WebMaria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2023
However, her flight was delayed, pushing her comeback performance to Wednesday.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023
The films mark his cinematic comeback after a four-year hiatus, and they‘ve broken several box-office records of his own making.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
The Indian government has warned repeatedly over the years that Sikh separatists were trying to make a comeback.
—Time, 20 Sep. 2023
With the Orioles doing their comeback thing to clinch a playoff spot back home, Baltimore held the center of the American sports world.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023
Although those two sacks proved to be costly, stunting New England’s comeback efforts, Jones demonstrated improvement in managing an elite pass rush.
—Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Donovan Peoples-Jones will run the deep comeback for the third level.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2023
During rehearsal breaks, Wiggs tapped away on a laptop for something else making a comeback: the Breeders Digest.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023
Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2023
The Biden administration directed agencies in the spring to develop plans for a return and again urged workers over the summer to come back this fall.
—Michael Laris, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023
So when mom decided to retire, Gina asked her to come back and chaperone the band camp trips.
—Holly Yan, CNN, 22 Sep. 2023
Carrie’s choice of a flashy kitten heel or sculptural bag is what piques fans’ attention and keeps them coming back for more.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
The results came back the following day—three of the patients had tested positive for the virus: Ali’s 9-year-old son, his 24-year-old uncle, and the seemingly unrelated Haris.
—WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
Here's what happens if funding runs out Biden administration to ban medical debt from Americans' credit scores
Free COVID test kits are coming back.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2023
No one plans to launch any creative endeavor during a global pandemic, especially one that so heavily relies on in-person chemistry and presence to keep audiences coming back.
—Gloria Alamrew, refinery29.com, 21 Sep. 2023
It’s only been within the last 20 years or so that sheepshead have come back on the radar of New Jersey and southern New York anglers.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 20 Sep. 2023
See More
Noun
Though centuries old, keeping rooms are making a comeback in contemporary houses.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Sep. 2023
However, her flight was delayed, pushing her comeback performance to Wednesday.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2023
The films mark his cinematic comeback after a four-year hiatus, and they‘ve broken several box-office records of his own making.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2023
The Indian government has warned repeatedly over the years that Sikh separatists were trying to make a comeback.
—Time, 20 Sep. 2023
With the Orioles doing their comeback thing to clinch a playoff spot back home, Baltimore held the center of the American sports world.
—Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 18 Sep. 2023
Although those two sacks proved to be costly, stunting New England’s comeback efforts, Jones demonstrated improvement in managing an elite pass rush.
—Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Donovan Peoples-Jones will run the deep comeback for the third level.
—Lance Reisland, cleveland, 13 Sep. 2023
During rehearsal breaks, Wiggs tapped away on a laptop for something else making a comeback: the Breeders Digest.
—Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 15 Sep. 2023
Verb
But Chapman says more than 200 of his students have gone on to play at U.S. schools since 2009, with the vast majority coming back with a degree.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2023
The Biden administration directed agencies in the spring to develop plans for a return and again urged workers over the summer to come back this fall.
—Michael Laris, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023
So when mom decided to retire, Gina asked her to come back and chaperone the band camp trips.
—Holly Yan, CNN, 22 Sep. 2023
Carrie’s choice of a flashy kitten heel or sculptural bag is what piques fans’ attention and keeps them coming back for more.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
The results came back the following day—three of the patients had tested positive for the virus: Ali’s 9-year-old son, his 24-year-old uncle, and the seemingly unrelated Haris.
—WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023
Here's what happens if funding runs out Biden administration to ban medical debt from Americans' credit scores
Free COVID test kits are coming back.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2023
No one plans to launch any creative endeavor during a global pandemic, especially one that so heavily relies on in-person chemistry and presence to keep audiences coming back.
—Gloria Alamrew, refinery29.com, 21 Sep. 2023
It’s only been within the last 20 years or so that sheepshead have come back on the radar of New Jersey and southern New York anglers.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 20 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comeback.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing comeback
Dictionary Entries Near comeback
Cite this Entry
“Comeback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comeback. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on comeback
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share