return 1 of 2

1
as in to restore
to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place when I'm done reading a book, I always return it to the very shelf I got it from

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2
as in to yield
to produce as revenue this technology stock is expected to return a healthy profit

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3
as in to respond
to speak or write in reaction to a question or to another reaction when I asked him to sit down to dinner, he returned that he would come when he was good and ready

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4
as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level vowed to do anything to keep the recovering alcoholic from returning to his dissolute ways

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

return

2 of 2

noun

1
2
as in revenue
an increase usually measured in money that comes from labor, business, or property if we buy better equipment, we'll be able to make the product faster, thus getting a better return on our investment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in proceeds
the amount of money left when expenses are subtracted from the total amount received the return on each unit sold has increased since we streamlined the production process

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb return contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of return are reciprocate, requite, and retaliate. While all these words mean "to give back usually in kind or in quantity," return implies a paying or giving back.

returned their call
return good for evil

In what contexts can reciprocate take the place of return?

Although the words reciprocate and return have much in common, reciprocate implies a mutual or equivalent exchange or a paying back of what one has received.

reciprocated their hospitality by inviting them for a visit

When is requite a more appropriate choice than return?

In some situations, the words requite and return are roughly equivalent. However, requite implies a paying back according to one's preference and often not equivalently.

requited her love with cold indifference

When is it sensible to use retaliate instead of return?

The synonyms retaliate and return are sometimes interchangeable, but retaliate usually implies a paying back of injury in exact kind, often vengefully.

the enemy retaliated by executing their prisoners

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of return
Verb
Giancarlo Stanton should return in the coming weeks, and Reyes is a candidate to get designated for assignment if a roster spot is needed. Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 8 June 2025 Fishing boats around the world are returning emptier. Marc Benioff, Time, 8 June 2025
Noun
Washington and Seoul have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military. Arkansas Online, 7 June 2025 Place a $5 wager on either team to win and get a 30x return in bonus bets once the wager settles. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
Verb
  • The council has spent months deliberating the budget and, most recently, decided to restore funding for a residential parking program, youth events and immigrant legal aid.
    Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
  • The university has made various concessions to the government — including more oversight of Middle Eastern studies and ways of cracking down on pro-Palestinian protests — that have so far proved insufficient to restore the funding.
    Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • The strikes came ahead of a second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, which failed to yield concrete progress toward a deal but did produce a new agreement on prisoner swaps.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
  • None of these searches were confirmed to have yielded significant evidence.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Verb
  • The Hurricanes responded by allowing back-to-back homers to lead off the next inning.
    Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 7 June 2025
  • The Bedminster club's reception desk and chef did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • The rights to Fixed reverted back to Sony, which tossed shopped the project into the market, for Netflix to fetch.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025
  • The House passed a stopgap spending bill to avoid a government shutdown in March, but the bill reverted Washington to its 2024 budget until Congress can pass new appropriations by Oct. 1.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • The Resilient Leader Whether political, spiritual or community-based, leaders play a vital role in guiding society through these emotional responses and by fostering dialogue, compassion and hope.
    Novena Riojas, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • At the same time, the response to that show set up Lloyd’s vision to rewrite the rules.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • The odds of landing an impact player that far down the board are slim, especially with NIL and revenue sharing now incentivizing players outside of the elite tier of prospects to stay in school.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 June 2025
  • In the meantime, Magna is happy to provide such auteur filmmakers with vital revenue streams between their features.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • In some cases, vehicle owners who could not afford to pay the fees to recover their vehicles lost them permanently.
    Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025
  • Axiom Space’s Director of Human Spaceflight and former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is the mission commander with aviator John Shoffner as pilot and two mission specialist seats paid for by the Saudi Space Commission, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • Hammack should have replied to Smith that a central banker planning something as complicated as the cost of credit would be as foolhardy as a president planning Harvard’s class of 2029, multiplied by many millions.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Neither his mother nor any of Bodden’s family or friends replied to a request for comment for this story.
    Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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