never to return
idiom
—used to say that someone never went back to a place
She left home never to return.
Examples of never to return in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the end, de Hales agreed to abjure the realm, which meant walking, barefoot, to the port of Chester, a hundred and thirty miles away, holding a wooden cross and wearing sackcloth, and taking a ship across the Irish Sea, never to return.
—
Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024
As soon as Ford was out, so was his secretary of state, never to return to high office.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Related When a local legend, a son, a brother, and a regular on the Seaview Park basketball courts was taken from them never to return, the community lost a part of their identity and a source of their hope.
—Lotoya Francis, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024
Each week, one dish comes off each menu, never to return, and is replaced with something new.
—Usa Today Network, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
Once the vaccination requirements were implemented, a good number of recruits waiting to leave for boot camp in DEP (Delayed Entry Program) disappeared, never to return.
—Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024
The Moors retreated from Gaul, never to return in such force.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 29 Oct. 2023
Dennis says Brandy left home alone that evening, never to return.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2023
About families torn from their homes and livelihoods, often never to return.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2023
Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024
As soon as Ford was out, so was his secretary of state, never to return to high office.
—Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Related When a local legend, a son, a brother, and a regular on the Seaview Park basketball courts was taken from them never to return, the community lost a part of their identity and a source of their hope.
—Lotoya Francis, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024
Each week, one dish comes off each menu, never to return, and is replaced with something new.
—Usa Today Network, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
Once the vaccination requirements were implemented, a good number of recruits waiting to leave for boot camp in DEP (Delayed Entry Program) disappeared, never to return.
—Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 9 Feb. 2024
The Moors retreated from Gaul, never to return in such force.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 29 Oct. 2023
Dennis says Brandy left home alone that evening, never to return.
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2023
About families torn from their homes and livelihoods, often never to return.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'never to return.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near never to return
Cite this Entry
“Never to return.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/never%20to%20return. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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