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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Gamble attended a tennis camp on campus and returned the following year for baseball. Kansas City Star, 14 July 2025 Recent opinion surveys in Israel suggest overwhelming approval for a deal that would end the war and return all the hostages, living and dead. Tim Lister, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
Noun
The real estate agent also sees opportunities for investors, who can buy properties at a discount in areas that will later appreciate in value, while also earning a return on the monthly rent. Sarah Moreno july 14, Miami Herald, 14 July 2025 The first-stage booster flew for the 13th time making a return landing at Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
Verb
  • Industry trade groups are lobbying Congress to reverse the Trump administration's proposal and restore the Office of Space Commerce's (OSC's) budget to this year's level of $65 million.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
  • Putin dreams of not only restoring the Russian empire but also becoming the master power of Europe.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • That said, there are signs that state and national efforts to address the overdose crisis may be yielding early results.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
  • During his career, 247Sports states Moore had yielded just 18 catches on 36 targets for an impressive 50% clip.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Officers responded to area of West Gate and Middle Street around 7 p.m. on Saturday for a crash involving a motorcycle and a motor vehicle, according to the Bristol Police Department.
    Staff report, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
  • The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office said the responding agencies were the Metro Nashville Police and Fire Departments, Tennessee Highway Patrol, La Vergne Police Department, Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
    Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • This summer, in particular, Swift seems to have reverted back to classic, feminine silhouettes and approachable styling after dabbling with a bit of logo-mania during the 2024-2025 football season.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 29 June 2025
  • Orvis said South Carolina stood to add a lot of solar to its electrical grid with tax incentives but would have to revert back to gas once those credits go away.
    Soph Warnes, CNN Money, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • And many people who study emergency response agree that, to some degree, the agency needs reform.
    Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
  • Texas officials have also pledged to analyze the emergency response and make changes as needed.
    Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Tens of billions of dollars of tariff revenue are coming into the United States every month.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 7 July 2025
  • In the past 10 years (since landmark publications like Deep & Cross Networks and Tensorflow by Google), big tech companies have leveraged these models to earn billions of dollars in revenue.
    Harvey Hu, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • That payment was bumped to $2 million when Blitzer took over; NWSL prices were already on the rise, and that was in line with what Angel City and the San Diego Wave paid when they were awarded teams in 2020 and 2021.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 8 July 2025
  • Nobody complains about the way the health care industry forces us to pay high prices for low-quality service.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Many also asked questions, to which Garrett replied with further explanation.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • The tech billionaire replied in the negative to a question regarding a potential deal.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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