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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Relevance

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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
When Big Brother‘s live feeds returned around 9 pm PT Friday, BB27 was down one larger-than-life player. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 6 Sep. 2025 There is no telling how many will return once an eventual peace deal is signed. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
Fischer says the play resulted from Kirk’s sense, on a relatively recent return from Los Angeles to visit his old haunts, that much of old Chicago had disappeared. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 Battle at the Hive II Sacramento State’s Combat U program returns with its second installment of ‘Battle at the Hive’ on Saturday at The Nest on the university’s campus. Marcus Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
Verb
  • The museum’s plans for Excelsior Club included restoring the existing two-story structure and adding a connecting history center focused on local and regional Black history.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
  • On Tuesday night, the Nepali army deployed troops to restore order after prominent government buildings were set on fire, politicians were attacked and violent clashes erupted between protesters and government forces.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For the moment, various brainstorming and armchair analyses are yielding some interesting and potentially useful insights worthy of further exploration.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The findings even suggest that modest design modifications can yield substantial benefits, offering engineers flexibility in designing future reactors by balancing performance with engineering complexity.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Newsrooms — like many other companies, amid a tight labor market and booming economy — responded with intense sympathy for junior employees who felt mistreated by managers and bullied by untouchable stars.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Jackson responded by shoving the fan back.
    Jenna West, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Both books sold modestly, and eventually Viking let the rights revert.
    Paul Slovak September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • One dares to hope that Hollywood, for all its current ills, may finally be turning a corner, reverting back to when new ideas were held at a premium.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The mass protests started in response to the ban—which was lifted on Tuesday, September 9—but have since broadened into an expression of dissatisfaction with the country's political leadership and alleged corruption.
    Robert Birsel Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his calls for a stronger international response.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Qualcomm bets big on autos Qualcomm’s biggest revenue driver is the chips that power smartphones from players including Samsung and Xiaomi.
    Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • At constant exchange rates, the decrease stood at 2 percent, while the Roman fashion house trumpeted that its direct retail, including e-commerce, improved 5 percent last year and represented 70 percent of revenues.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Social media companies and influencers paid to promote pharmaceutical offerings without proper disclosures will also be targeted by the federal government, according to CNBC, which cited unnamed senior officials.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The backslide is worse for Black women, who in 2024 were paid 65 cents for every dollar paid to White men.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Smith replied that private schools must submit renewal packets every year before they are approved to continue participation in the accounts program, and that the agency compares the new tuition rates against the older rates.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The Kennedy Center's press office did not immediately reply to NPR's request for comment on the dismissal and a query about the future of jazz and Millennium Stage programming.
    Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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