returning

present participle of return
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in yielding
to produce as revenue this technology stock is expected to return a healthy profit

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3
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 returning According to Krispy Kreme, the new menu has been in development and testing for over a year and includes trending flavors, fan favorites and returning flavors that were previously offered for a limited time only. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025 New and returning recurring cast members include Patricia Clarkson as Quinn’s (Kelly) mother, Ben Robson, Heidi Engerman, Tatanka Means, Justin Johnson Cortez, Kenny Miller, Philip Winchester, Jennifer Ens and Niko Guardado. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2025 Taking his place was the returning Joan Laporta, who had previously been Barcelona president between 2003 and 2010. Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025 That said, there could always be other swerves, including GUNTHER returning with two crew members, or someone completely different. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 Lund was taken into custody Friday at an apartment complex in Dublin, while Morton, who police say also lived there, was arrested separately at San Francisco International Airport after returning from international travel. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025 Perhaps the most exciting part of this announcement is the chain’s returning favorite, Broccoli Cheese Casserole. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025 Hamas committed to returning all living and deceased captives being held in the strip as part of the ceasefire deal reached earlier this month. David Brennan, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025 Sophomore forward David Punch, the Horned Frogs’ only returning starter, made both of his attempts. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for returning
Verb
  • While some studies are skeptical of puzzle games improving or restoring cognitive functions, the National Library of Medicine believes brain and puzzle games do have benefits.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
  • What started as a weekend hobby quickly grew into a full-fledged business, and Molski, who has since retired from healthcare sales, couldn't be happier to spend his weekends hunting and restoring vintage pieces.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Even though only 10 Middle Eastern countries are fielding titles, the region is yielding its most competitive lineup in years.
    Alissa Simon, Variety, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Compare that to cash in a savings account earning less than 1% nowadays — or even the best money market accounts yielding 4%, roughly the same as the 10-year Treasury .
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Police are responding to a shooting that left multiple people injured at Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University Saturday night, during the school’s Homecoming weekend.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
  • An upstate New York prosecutor announced that a Buffalo man has been charged with murder after fire officials found his girlfriend and a newborn dead while responding to an apartment blaze.
    Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Given that context, HD may offer a favorable risk-reward setup for a mean-reverting bounce.
    Frank Cappelleri, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
  • But after the last-minute rule change, reverting back to 120, the 49ers were able to get to 109, leaving 11 spots on the table.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • On average, paying cash for care could be cheaper especially with lower-cost options like telemedicine and urgent care.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • With Apple Intelligence still months away from broad rollout and upgrade elasticity weakening, investors may be paying a premium for a business entering a slower-growth phase.
    Tony Zhang, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Jane perches on the corner of a kitchen chair, replying succinctly to Luna’s long-winded questions as she’s offered an open box of Ritz, a can of Easy Cheese and a bag of Cheetos in rapid succession.
    Elizabeth B. Kim, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Herrin continued the conversation in the comments, replying directly to Hudson's cheeky note.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The Chinese leader then toured the vessel, including inspecting the mess hall and giving a trial press of the ship’s catapult button, according to CCTV.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • At Tesla’s annual meeting on Thursday, shareholders voted in favor of giving CEO Musk a gargantuan, record-shattering pay package that could give him stock worth $1 trillion after several years.
    Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Instead of testing a model on an endless series of questions to evaluate its ability to speak Russian, for example, one benchmark reviewed in the study measures a model’s performance on nine different tasks, like answering yes-or-no questions using information drawn from Russian-language Wikipedia.
    Jared Perlo, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The Statesman is shining a spotlight on this election with news, in-depth enterprise reporting, exclusive watchdog stories, and our Voter Guide Q&As with candidates answering our questions.
    Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 5 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Returning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/returning. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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