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
  • Once the voltage reaches the MEMS resonators, an inverse piezoelectric effect is triggered, yielding billions of vibrations per second that generate acoustic waves in the surrounding fluid.
    Perri Thaler, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Thinly slicing the white interior shoots and soaking them in ice water is key—the stalks curl and crisp, yielding the most satisfying crunchy texture.
    SAVEUR Editors, Saveur, 30 Oct. 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
  • Gen Zers could pay off their dues by landing high-paying jobs, but those are in short supply.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
  • This reality means that New Jersey and Virginia taxpayers are paying a premium in their taxes to have their own vote suppressed this November.
    Time, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Ant dramatically yelled out, replying to the fan's question while looking over towards the players on the court.
    Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
  • But Kaliakmanis’ counterpart — freshman Gophers quarterback Drake Lindsey — got the last laugh, replying with two second-half touchdown passes and three total as Minnesota rallied from that 14-0 hole for a 31-28 win in their Big Ten opener.
    Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • After being introduced to Picasso, Stein quickly developed a close relationship with him, discussing his work in his cluttered studio, giving him loans, and purchasing his paintings.
    Daphne Merkin, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Once seated, she is expected to become the 218th signatory on the discharge petition, giving the coalition enough support to force Johnson’s hand.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Watches offer an opportunity to expand that world, telling our story through a new lens while answering a growing desire for pieces that combine design, with exceptional functionality.
    Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
  • In addition to answering many Zelda fans’ requests to own the music on vinyl, the box set also marks the first time the infamously strict Nintendo has ever released a physical soundtrack for sale in the United States.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Returning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/returning. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

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