return 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈtərn How to pronounce return (audio)
Definition of returnnext
1
as in to restore
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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2
as in to yield
to produce as revenue this technology stock is expected to return a healthy profit

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3
as in to respond
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to revert
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

return

2 of 2

noun

1
as in response
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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2
as in revenue
an increase usually measured in money that comes from labor, business, or property if we buy better equipment, we'll be able to make the product faster, thus getting a better return on our investment

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3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb return contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of return are reciprocate, requite, and retaliate. While all these words mean "to give back usually in kind or in quantity," return implies a paying or giving back.

returned their call
return good for evil

In what contexts can reciprocate take the place of return?

Although the words reciprocate and return have much in common, reciprocate implies a mutual or equivalent exchange or a paying back of what one has received.

reciprocated their hospitality by inviting them for a visit

When is requite a more appropriate choice than return?

In some situations, the words requite and return are roughly equivalent. However, requite implies a paying back according to one's preference and often not equivalently.

requited her love with cold indifference

When is it sensible to use retaliate instead of return?

The synonyms retaliate and return are sometimes interchangeable, but retaliate usually implies a paying back of injury in exact kind, often vengefully.

the enemy retaliated by executing their prisoners

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 return
Verb
Anyone who purchased Our Family Traverse City Ground Coffee with the corresponding UPC and best by date listed above can return it to the store where it was purchased for a refund or replacement, a SpartanNash spokesperson said in an email to USA TODAY. —Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2025 District court judges separately ruled in favor of Wilcox and Harris, finding their removals were unlawful and returning them to their roles. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
In return, the Chinese government raised tariffs on the U.S. by 50 percent, bringing the overall level to 84 percent. —Tara Suter, The Hill, 9 Apr. 2025 Filers who never received the funds could claim the recovery rebate credit on their 2021 federal return. —Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for return
Recent Examples of Synonyms for return
  1. restore
  2. yield
  3. respond
  4. revert
  5. response
  6. revenue
  7. pay
  8. reply
Verb
  • Femininity and French craftsmanship are on prominent display, with bespoke headboards made from Pierre Frey fabrics in every room, as well as murals from Atelier de Ricou, bird-like Lalique sconces, and restored wooden beams on the ceilings.
    — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Disruptions peaked shortly after 3 p.m. ET, and service appeared to be mostly restored roughly two hours later, according to outage tracking site Downdetector.com.
    — Matthew Kaufman, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of restore
Verb
  • That yielded a partial match, and investigators completed a family tree and identified their suspect, police said.
    — Sara Schilling, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Even ground meat can benefit from a long simmer, becoming yielding and luscious.
    — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of yield
Verb
  • Sutter County deputies responded to reports of a hunting incident on Sunday, April 6, at approximately 9:00 a.m., near Gifford Road in the Fremont Weir Wildlife Area.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Bitcoin prices extended their recent losses in the last few days, falling to their lowest point of the year as global investors responded to the latest concerns created by ongoing developments surrounding global tariffs.
    — Charles Lloyd Bovaird II, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of respond
Verb
  • Cosmetic risks include asymmetry, visible scars, and ribs that revert back to their original position (mainly from improper corset use, experts say).
    — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025
  • When her innie reverts back to Gemma, the two enjoy a passionate kiss in the elevator before transforming into Ms. Casey and Mark S., and the intimate moment becomes awkward.
    — Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of revert
Noun
  • The China Film Administration (CFA), the body that handles film releases and quotas in the country, released a statement on Thursday in response to a reporter’s question about whether the Trump administration’s increasing tariffs on China would impact imports of American films.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The pause came hours after the European Union voted to approve retaliatory tariffs on $23 billion in goods, starting April 15, in response to Trump’s previously announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum—which remain in effect.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of response
Noun
  • Today, about half of the Americans getting Social Security benefits pay some federal income taxes on that income, contributing revenue that helps finance the program as a whole.
    — Dennis W. Jansen, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Merit reached a net revenue of more than $100 million in 2024 and in 2023 the brand made $100 million in retail sales.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of revenue
Verb
  • Werner heard that one of her scholarships—which had been administered by the center—was being eliminated, sending her into a panic about how to pay for school.
    — Emma Green, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • So McMahon and the Pullman community, who share her love for the church in Historical Pullman National Park, have banded together to pay the roughly $20,000 bill and reopen the church.
    — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of pay
Verb
  • John replied with annoyance, and the conversation ultimately ended with McCartney abruptly hanging up on him.
    — Kim Willis, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Bow Wow recently cleared the air on his current relationship with Omarion, and the 40-year-old singer quickly replied.
    — Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of reply

Phrases Containing return

Browse Nearby Words

retrospects
return
returned
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Cite this Entry

“Return.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/return. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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