comeuppance

noun

come·​up·​pance (ˌ)kəm-ˈə-pən(t)s How to pronounce comeuppance (audio)
: a deserved rebuke or penalty : deserts
One of these days, he'll get his comeuppance for treating people so arrogantly.

Examples of comeuppance in a Sentence

One of these days, he'll get his comeuppance for treating people so arrogantly. 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
Recent Examples on the Web His comeuppance in a New York courtroom, long overdue, resembles nothing like justice. Francis Wilkinson, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024 Curb Your Enthusiasm often was capable of achieving an effect of cosmic cohesiveness; unlike Seinfeld, which alienated some viewers by suddenly enforcing karmic standards in its finale, Curb has always been rooted in Larry’s inevitable comeuppances. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2024 Every so often perpetrators of hospice fraud get their comeuppance, as in the case of the owner, CEO, operations manager and medical director at the Merida Group, which runs a network of hospices across Texas. The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024 But brace yourselves because just like in the original movie, Regina George gets her comeuppance when she is hit by a bus. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 11 Jan. 2024 Michael Hiltzik: 2023 was the year of comeuppance for billionaires, culture warriors, crypto and corporate managements. Julia Carmel, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023 Often seen playing the banjo, Mister comes off like an evil bluesman, and his inevitable comeuppance gives Bazawule the opportunity to stage a frightening, almost mythical scene on a stormy night. Pat Padua, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 There is terrible violence in each season, but the worst characters tend to get their comeuppance, if not die outright, by the end, while things mostly work out OK for the good guys. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2024 And villains typically, though not always, get their comeuppance. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'comeuppance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

come up + -ance

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comeuppance was in 1859

Dictionary Entries Near comeuppance

Cite this Entry

“Comeuppance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comeuppance. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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