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
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
  • My lawsuit aims to restore just a little bit of sanity.
    Tamlyn Hunt, Scientific American, 22 July 2025
  • Our goal is to restore the fun, healthy, human childhood that most of us had.
    Eileen Finan, People.com, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • The interpretation of New York City around the time the comics were born yields great visual charm — from Times Square to the Lower East Side — with amusing period-specific product placement for brands like 7Up and Canada Dry.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 July 2025
  • This theory would have no blind spots—all calculations should yield meaningful results.
    Charlie Wood, Wired News, 20 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
  • President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has responded to the announcement.
    Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • The House version reverts the increase to $2,000 after 2028.
    Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 28 June 2025
  • But the council reverted back to its initial version that aligns with the other cities, citing better consistency for the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, which polices Del Mar, Solana Beach and Encinitas.
    Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Customers have come to expect lightning-fast response times at every hour.
    Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • However, last week, a Brooklyn Federal Court judge ruled in response to a lawsuit from Adams’ campaign that the board couldn’t withhold matching funds from Adams due to the indictment, given that it has been dropped.
    Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Currently, roughly 18 cents of every dollar in tax revenue goes to paying interest on the debt, Akabas said.
    Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 19 July 2025
  • The company, launched in 2013, remains unprofitable, posting a $7.7 million net loss on $6.08 million in revenue in 2024, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
    Clay Chandler, Fortune, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • On June 13, Judge John Robert Blakey sentenced Madigan to 7.5 years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of $2.5 million.
    Jim Talamonti, The Washington Examiner, 20 July 2025
  • Florida’s Board of Medicine fined Romeu $10,000; ordered him to pay $6,722 in case costs; take two continuing medical education classes; and do 50 hours of community medical service.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 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 25 Jul. 2025.

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