RETURNS Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

returns 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of return

as in restores

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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Relevance

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as in yields

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

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as in responds

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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as in reverts

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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returns

2 of 2

noun

plural of return

as in responses

something spoken or written in reaction especially to a question I was moved by my grandfather's lengthy return to my casual question about his experiences in the Vietnam War

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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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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 returns

Verb

Trillo leads an artist-first approach to AI integration that pushes back against the notion that the technology is simply a production shortcut, arguing instead for AI as a tool that returns time, ambition, and humanity to the creative process. —

Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 11 May 2026 The organization will again have to debate how to set its middle infield when Hernández returns. —

Katie Woo, New York Times, 11 May 2026 David Corenswet returns as Superman, while Nicholas Hoult is back as Lex Luthor, with the enemies teaming up to take on the threat of Brainiac (Lars Eidinger). —

Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026 Nick Robert returns Miami’s bullpen received a boost recently with the return of Nick Robert, who was in the team’s starting rotation last season before sustaining a season-ending elbow injury last April that kept him shelved for more than a year. —

Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 10 May 2026 John Krasinski, who returns as writer, director and producer of A Quiet Place Part III, premiering July 30, 2027, announced the start of production Saturday on Instagram, sharing a photo of the film slate in front of the Manhattan Bridge Arch and Colonnade in New York City’s Chinatown. —

Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 May 2026 Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor Flannery O’Connor’s Southern Gothic novel follows Hazel Motes, a WWII veteran who returns home to find everyone in his family is dead. —

Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 10 May 2026 Simon McQuoid returns as director, and Jeremy Slater penned the script. —

Jack Dunn, Variety, 9 May 2026 Absalom returns for more, but also with a plan for revenge. —

Literary Hub, 4 May 2026

Noun

Dividend-paying stocks can help cushion downside risk while offering consistent returns. —

Tipranks.com Staff, CNBC, 10 May 2026 While most passengers are considerate, late-night returns and early-morning departures can bring bursts of noise outside your door. —

David Nikel, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 Georgia will be a fascinating state to watch for pundits when its primary election returns roll in on Tuesday, May 19, given the crowded GOP primaries and endorsement dynamics at play. —

Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2026 Already with Walker, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and the possible free-agency returns of Jonathan Kuminga and CJ McCollum, just imagine the possibilities (including trade possibilities) with Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, Wilson or Darius or Acuff as potential Atlanta selections. —

Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026 The Obamas no longer need to make their tax returns public. —

Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 On Monday, temperatures climb a few degrees and cloud cover returns, winds will come from the south, gusting up to 30 mph at times. —

Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 3 May 2026 The greatest returns now go to those who bought the assets decades ago. —

Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 May 2026 The other three counties — Montgomery, Harris and Galveston — are still reporting returns. —

Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 2 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for returns

Verb

The Bivens Act, now pending before the United States House of Representatives, restores the people’s right to get meaningful relief in court when federal agents violate peoples’ constitutional rights.

— Edwin C. Yohnka, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
A little space restores perspective very quickly.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026