1
as in restoring
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yielding
to produce as revenue
this technology stock is expected to return a healthy profit
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in responding
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in reverting
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of returning
Picard and millions of other returning veterans were keen to put the war behind them.
—
Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Hosted by returning IndieWire favorite Dewayne Perkins on June 4 in Los Angeles, the TV edition of our biannual awards ceremony honored some of the most innovative creators and performers working on series today.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 June 2026
Perennial flowers are the gift that keeps on giving for your garden, returning year after year and putting on a beautiful show in the warmer months.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
What would be less likely is Tyler and Norman both returning.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
The Colts will be returning with a rehabbing quarterback and without wide receiver Michael Pittman, edge Kwity Paye and linebacker Zaire Franklin.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Season 42 continues on Friday with Peter Mcferrin returning as champion to face two new challengers.
—Usa Today Staff, USA Today, 5 June 2026
Gray, who struggled in the Bronx in 2017 and 2018, earned his fifth straight win since returning from a hamstring injury.
—CBS News, 5 June 2026
The test analyzes the activity of 50 genes in a tumor sample and generates a score that estimates the risk of the cancer returning.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Kevin Maurer, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
Hosted by returning IndieWire favorite Dewayne Perkins on June 4 in Los Angeles, the TV edition of our biannual awards ceremony honored some of the most innovative creators and performers working on series today.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 June 2026
Perennial flowers are the gift that keeps on giving for your garden, returning year after year and putting on a beautiful show in the warmer months.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 June 2026
What would be less likely is Tyler and Norman both returning.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 2026
The Colts will be returning with a rehabbing quarterback and without wide receiver Michael Pittman, edge Kwity Paye and linebacker Zaire Franklin.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Season 42 continues on Friday with Peter Mcferrin returning as champion to face two new challengers.
—Usa Today Staff, USA Today, 5 June 2026
Gray, who struggled in the Bronx in 2017 and 2018, earned his fifth straight win since returning from a hamstring injury.
—CBS News, 5 June 2026
The test analyzes the activity of 50 genes in a tumor sample and generates a score that estimates the risk of the cancer returning.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for returning
Verb
-
During his tenure, Critchell led an overhaul of the brand, restoring its visibility and relevance.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
-
His son, Joel Tefteller and Nick Bergh got to work on restoring the audio with cutting-edge tech.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Seattle wasted a strong start from Luis Castillo, who left with a 3-1 lead after yielding three hits in 5 2/3 innings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
-
David Fried, owner of Elmore Roots Fruit Tree Nursery, highlights pears as a prolific producer, often yielding 200 pounds of fruit per tree each year.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Supply disruptions have also hit hard in Europe and Africa, where countries are responding to rising fuel costs and a considerable threat to food security.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
Nassau County Police said officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call.—
Jesse Zanger,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The state is reverting some districts to older lines that are more favorable to Republicans.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
20 May 2026
-
The ruling effectively overturned the city’s ordinance, reverting the election to November 2025.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
After signing a waiver, strapping on a helmet and paying a $30 fee, audience members can ride along in the passenger seat of a professional driver’s drift car.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Gas taxes ultimately make up just a small portion of the amount consumers are paying at the pump.—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Both ministers were replying after anonymous sources cited Tuesday by the Financial Times said the United States had signaled openness to deploying elements of its nuclear arsenal in new European countries, in addition to the six currently thought to host nuclear weapons.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
That doesn’t just mean being available for strategy phone calls or instantly replying on email.—
Rashi Shrivastava,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Special commando units were also deployed to the location and carried out intelligence-gathering missions and drone operations, the other two sources said, giving Israel a valuable perch from which to see into northern Iran during the war.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 June 2026
-
The show is still using some of those songs, giving the score’s relationship to the script a half-in, half-out near-jukebox feeling.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Given the breakout to new highs, the market appears to be answering yes.—
,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
-
Instead of answering, Brunson asked a question himself.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Returning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/returning. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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