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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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

The Seahawks’ offensive line, which returns five starters from last season, did a fine job of keeping Darnold upright in 2025. — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 The lineup returns intact, with receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum and tight ends Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson providing Stafford with multiple weapons. — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 When the cast finally returns months later for interviews, the women seem unsure how to talk about what happened at all. — Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 Lorena Muñoz’s adaptation of Belén López Peiró’s autobiographical bestseller follows Lourdes, who returns years after childhood abuse by her respected uncle-in-law to seek justice. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Under the law that went into effect in January 2020, home safety checklists must be completed within 24 hours before a child returns home. — CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 The closest tonally and thematically to the original, Last Crusade returns the series from the dark streaks of Temple of Doom to its more classically heroic, Third Reich-smashing roots. — Frank Deruggiero, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 The Raiders kept three quarterbacks; Aidan O'Connell returns for his fourth season. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 The need-to-know this week The House returns for one week and will vote on the Senate’s stopgap funding bill that temporarily blocks the White House’s proposal to give political appointees control over federal research grants. — John Wilkerson, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026

Noun

In addition to anniversaries, this season will also see grand returns from Monse, Sabyasachi, Thom Browne and Diane von Furstenberg, who will debut a new chapter of the beloved brand helmed by creative director Henry Zankov. — Morgan Evans, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 To help extend the time before the cancer returns or progresses. — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 9 Sep. 2026 But many investors see a change of trajectory as Wall Street returns from holiday to a September with a number of events with the potential to move markets. — Frank Holland, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026 On first returns, Jaissle may face similar problems — a near full-strength side stymied by a Millwall side featuring only four to five first-choice players, and whose next available back-up striker was a 15-year-old debutant. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Hatch had a job processing customer returns in a Lancaster fulfillment center, while Parks was a delivery associate at an Amazon delivery station in Rochester. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026 There will be runway returns, too, from ThreeAsFour and Rio (formerly Gypsy Sport). — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026 With luck, the show will have fewer narrow victories as Richmond returns from winter break. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2026 To be sure, the Musk faithful have historically been rewarded with enviable returns. — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for returns

Verb

Doctors treat patients with intravenous fluids and a drug called atropine, which restores a normal heart rhythm.

— Prayan Pokharel, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Rescinding it restores the flexibility to make thoughtful decisions based on the needs of each forest and each community.

— Dan Peck, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of restores

Verb

These form a special kind of set called a number field, because adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing rationals (except for dividing by zero) yields a number that is also in the set.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
That means a $4,000,001 estate in Illinois yields a state estate tax bill of more than $220,000, compared with $0 in federal tax because the $15 million threshold isn't hit.

— Medora Lee, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of yields

Verb

As a young coach, my biggest struggle is knowing early on whether a player responds to hard coaching or a softer touch.

— Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Magnesium supports insulin signaling by helping to activate enzymes inside your cells that regulate how your body uses glucose and responds to insulin.

— Teresa Maalouf, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of responds

Verb

The school is owned by the city of Pembroke Pines, and a lease says the property reverts back to the city in 2037.

— Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 26 July 2026
As light can selectively target the fluid, scientists were able to print microscopic conductive patterns that completely vanish once exposed to open air, which reverts the gel back into non-conductive liquid clusters.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026

Definition of reverts

Noun

Meta supposedly favors Chinese resellers, because, without them, Meta would be shut out from billions in profits from the lucrative Chinese ad market, since its platforms are banned there.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
Recipients with projects exceeding US$150 million were required to share profits with the government above a certain threshold and provide plans for childcare for facility and construction workers.

— Mariana Mazzucato, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of profits

Verb

Giu pays Father Joe a visit and gets infected with the same virus after being lured into the confession box.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2026
In her 2015 memoir, Steinem recounts her dynamic, nomadic career as a writer and activist, and pays vivid homage to the people, places, and conversations that shaped her.

— Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of pays

Verb

The automation should end when the customer replies, books, declines, becomes unqualified or needs a decision from a person.

— Michael Fox, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
The video then shows Duff taking off her earpiece and saying something to her bandmate, who replies with an unsure gesture.

— Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026