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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The group will then play stadiums across Europe in August and return for a run of Asian dates in October and November, winding down on Nov. 30 with the second of two shows at Singapore National Stadium. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 July 2025 Aniston continues to star in and executive-produce The Morning Show, which returns with Season 4 on Wednesday, Sept. 17. Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 1 July 2025
Noun
Either way, the Heat could end up bringing back 14 of the 15 players from last season’s season-ending roster if Burks or Robinson return. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025 Paying his contract wouldn't be ideal, but the prospect return would be minimal to bring on a struggling veteran option like the White Sox outfielder. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
Verb
  • The supplementation of vitamin B12 and iron helps restore the most common deficiencies in AG.
    Sayaka Blickenderfer, Health, 28 June 2025
  • From restoring elasticity to quenching dryness and nourishing the skin with essential vitamins and minerals, the best body oils can make everything below the neck supple, satiny, and ready to shine.
    Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • One reason the Twins were so down and out was a heinous 17-game stretch by the pitching staff, which yielded nine runs eight times.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 27 June 2025
  • The settlement, which is expected to make rates more predictable in coming years, is slated to yield $8.3 million in savings for the authority in 2027 and $23 million in 2028.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Firefighters had responded to reports of a brush fire at Canfield Mountain, north of Coeur d’Alene, at around 1:30 p.m., at which point someone started shooting at them.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
  • May's office initially responded to Fox News Digital's request for comment after providing the public records, requesting a list of questions and background information be provided before speaking.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • His demands include asking the company to revert back to open-source and an injunction to prevent OpenAI execs from profiting from AGI.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 24 June 2025
  • During President Donald Trump's second presidency, his administration has designated English as the national language, removed hundreds of books from military libraries that are about race relations and LGBTQ+ history in the United States, and reverted military bases to their Confederate names.
    Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • This appears to be in response to longstanding criticism from patient and healthcare provider groups that the process of getting pre-approval from health plans for reimbursement of healthcare services and technologies is too onerous.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The age rule was adopted in 1995 in response to Jennifer Capriati, a teenage tennis phenomenon who struggled with the pressure of competition at such a young age.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Over the past year, Scopely has set multiple records, including surpassing $10 billion in lifetime revenue and seeing its games downloaded more than 1 billion times.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 25 June 2025
  • These barriers include promoting purchases with European digital companies alone, extracting revenue from significant fees and taxes levied against U.S. digital companies, and imposing regulations and restrictions on data privacy and online content.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • The cost of the wedding has been estimated at up to nearly $50M, infuriating locals and activists who claim Amazon pays minimal taxes in European countries and point to Bezos’ use of his extreme personal wealth to effectively take over parts of the historic city, disrupting daily life.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 June 2025
  • Letarte expects teams to pay more attention to their In-Season Challenge competitors as the five-race tournament plays out, and the potential $1 million draws closer.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Mascherano replied, when asked Friday morning if Messi would be traveling and available for the match.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
  • In comparison, 23% of the older generations replied the same.
    Michelle Fox, CNBC, 5 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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