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

Those albums treated homecoming as a means of rebirth and reclamation; creole culture moves on the same wavelength but is more coy about the references. — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026

Air Academy High School has canceled its homecoming game against Lutheran High School. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

The homecoming reignited controversy over conditions endured during the unusually long deployment and reports of multiple sailors attempting suicide. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

By Wednesday afternoon, the line for visitor passes to get on base for the ship’s homecoming stretched several hundred feet, snaking across the lawn in front of the building and doubling back on itself. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 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