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

Tonight’s homecoming show at the Knockdown Center in Queens will be one of Gabe’s biggest sets in more than a decade of rapping. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026

Bronny James provided some of the few Lakers highlights in the team’s worst loss of the season — a 129-99 drubbing by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday — to turn an emotional homecoming for his father into a happy return for the 21-year-old. —Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026

The show, one of roughly 120 concerts the band performed last year, felt like the band’s homecoming, Aparo said. —Deasia Paige, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026

While the Hoosiers faced Miami on its home field, the game was a homecoming for Mendoza, who attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. —Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 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