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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in yields

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 returns

Verb

The 5th edition of SIFF YOUNG has evolved into a prominent incubator for commercial Chinese-language cinema; hit filmmaker Wen Muye, a 2023 program alumnus, returns this year to chair its Final Recommendation Committee. —

Marcus Lim, Variety, 15 June 2026 The running back position could be among the strongest in the Big 12 as the league returns six of its top-10 rushers from a year ago. —

Steven Johnson june 15, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 June 2026 Season 11 will film early July — no matter who returns, or doesn’t. —

Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 15 June 2026 Argentina returns 17 players from its world championship team, among them Messi, the golden ball winner; goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, the golden glove winner; and midfielder Enzo Fernández, the 2022 tournament’s best young player. —

Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026 Kepner's younger brother returns briefly to the cabin. —

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026 If the rest of their rotation stays healthy — that’s a big if — Weathers could shift to the bullpen whenever Max Fried returns from a bone bruise. —

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026 Bounding out of the room, Shaboozey returns clutching his Grammy trophy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance. —

Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026 Teresa Battaglia returns in a compelling new chapter. —

Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 June 2026

Noun

Incumbent Mayor Terry Lynne nipped Jaime Rivas by 25 votes in Saturday's Farmers Branch mayoral runoff, according to final but unofficial returns. —

Doug Myers, CBS News, 14 June 2026 Those economics become even more challenging because publishing still operates on a returns system that dates back to the Great Depression. —

Josh Rivera, USA Today, 14 June 2026 Capital is seeking more than returns. —

Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026 This year a more conventional transfer period returns, after last year’s Club World Cup incited the introduction of a new window, which lasted from June 1-10, allowing clubs to facilitate moves before the tournament. —

Leon Imber, New York Times, 13 June 2026 This is sequence-of-returns risk. —

Jon Sabes, Fortune, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for returns

Verb

The wax and sealant not only restores your chrome wheels’ glossy shine but also protects them by actively repelling brake dust, road salt and other debris.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
The Final Cut doesn't include Ford's voiceover narration, restores an impactful dream sequence involving a unicorn, and maintains the director's original ambiguous ending.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026