return
Americanverb (used without object)
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to go or come back, as to a former place, position, or state: to return to public office;
to return from abroad;
to return to public office;
to return to work.
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to revert to a former owner.
The money I gave him returns to me in the event of his death.
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to revert or recur, as in thought, discourse, etc..
He returned to his story.
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to make a reply or retort.
She returned with a witty sally.
verb (used with object)
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to put, bring, take, give, or send back to the original place, position, etc.: to return a child to her mother;
to return a book to a shelf;
to return a child to her mother;
to return the switch to off position.
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to send or give back in reciprocation, recompense, or requital.
to return evil for good.
- Synonyms:
- exchange
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to reciprocate, repay, or react to (something sent, given, done, etc.) with something similar: to return a favor.
to return the enemy's fire;
to return a favor.
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Law.
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to give to a judge or official (a statement or a writ of actions done).
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to render (a verdict, decision, etc.).
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to reflect (light, sound, etc.).
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to yield (a profit, revenue, etc.), as in return for labor, expenditure, or investment.
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to report or announce officially.
to return a list of members.
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to elect, as to a legislative body.
The voters returned him to office by a landslide.
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Military. to put (a weapon) back into its holder.
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Cards. to respond to (a suit led) by a similar lead.
She returned diamonds.
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to turn back or in the reverse direction, as a served ball in tennis.
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Chiefly Architecture. to cause to turn or proceed in a different direction from the previous line of direction; reverse.
to return a cornice at each end of a façade.
noun
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the act or fact of returning as by going or coming back or bringing, sending, or giving back.
the return of the Jews from the Diaspora;
We should appreciate your return of the book immediately.
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a recurrence.
the return of the moon each month.
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reciprocation, repayment, or requital.
profits in return for outlay.
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response or reply.
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a person or thing that is returned.
returns of mill goods.
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the gain realized on an exchange of goods.
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Often returns a yield or profit, as from labor, land, business, or investment.
He received a quick return on his money.
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Usually returns an official or unofficial report on a count of votes, candidates elected, etc..
election returns.
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Chiefly British. return ticket.
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Architecture.
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the continuation of a molding, projection, etc., in a different direction.
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a side or part that falls away from the front of any straight or flat member or area.
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a tablelike extension attached at a right angle to a desk at typing height, for holding a typewriter, computer, etc.
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a key or lever on a typewriter or other business machine that returns the carriage to the extreme right, or the typing element to the extreme left, for the beginning of a new line.
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Computers. carriage return2
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Sports.
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the act of returning a ball.
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the ball that is returned.
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Football. a runback of a kick, intercepted pass, or fumble recovery.
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Economics. yield per unit as compared to the cost per unit involved in a specific industrial process.
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Law.
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the bringing or sending back of various documents, such as a writ, summons, or subpoena, with a brief written report usually endorsed upon it, by a sheriff, to the court from which it issued.
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a certified document by a great variety of officers, as assessors, collectors, and election officers.
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the report or certificate endorsed in such documents.
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Cards. a lead that responds to a partner's lead.
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Theater. a flat or drapery parallel to the tormentor for masking the offstage area and often completing the downstage part of a set.
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returns,
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merchandise shipped back to a supplier from a retailer or distributor as unsold or unsalable.
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merchandise returned to a retailer by a consumer.
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adjective
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of or relating to a return or returning.
a return trip.
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sent, given, or done in return.
a return shot.
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done or occurring again.
a return engagement of the opera.
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noting a person or thing that is returned or returning to a place.
return cargo.
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changing in direction; doubling or returning on itself.
a return twist in a road.
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used for returning, recirculating, etc.: a return pipe.
the return road;
a return pipe.
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(of a game) played in order to provide the loser of an earlier game with the opportunity to win from the same opponent.
return match.
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adequate, necessary, or provided to enable the return of a mailed package or letter to its sender: return address;
return postage guaranteed;
return address;
return envelope.
verb
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(intr) to come back to a former place or state
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(tr) to give, take, or carry back; replace or restore
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(tr) to repay or recompense, esp with something of equivalent value
return the compliment
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(tr) to earn or yield (profit or interest) as an income from an investment or venture
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(intr) to come back or revert in thought or speech
I'll return to that later
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(intr) to recur or reappear
the symptoms have returned
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to answer or reply
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(tr) to vote into office; elect
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(tr) law (of a jury) to deliver or render (a verdict)
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(tr) to send back or reflect (light or sound)
the canyon returned my shout
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(tr) to submit (a report, etc) about (someone or something) to someone in authority
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(tr) cards to lead back (the suit led by one's partner)
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(tr) ball games to hit, throw, or play (a ball) back
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(tr) architect to turn (a part, decorative moulding, etc) away from its original direction
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(of Christians) to say grace before a meal
noun
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the act or an instance of coming back
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something that is given or sent back, esp unsatisfactory merchandise returned to the maker or supplier or a theatre ticket sent back by a purchaser for resale
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the act or an instance of putting, sending, or carrying back; replacement or restoration
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(often plural) the yield, revenue, or profit accruing from an investment, transaction, or venture
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the act or an instance of reciprocation or repayment (esp in the phrase in return for )
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a recurrence or reappearance
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an official report, esp of the financial condition of a company
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a form (a tax return ) on which a statement concerning one's taxable income is made
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the statement itself
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(often plural) a statement of the votes counted at an election or poll
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an answer or reply
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short for return ticket
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informal a second helping of food served at a table
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architect
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a part of a building that forms an angle with the façade
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any part of an architectural feature that forms an angle with the main part
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law a report by a bailiff or other officer on the outcome of a formal document such as a claim, summons, etc, issued by a court
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cards a lead of a card in the suit that one's partner has previously led
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ball games the act of playing or throwing a ball back
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by the next post back to the sender
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a conventional greeting to someone on his or her birthday
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the point at which a person's commitment is irrevocable
adjective
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of, relating to, or characterized by a return
a return visit
a return performance
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denoting a second, reciprocated occasion
a return match
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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returnsimple
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returnssimple
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have returnedperfect
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has returnedperfect
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am returningprogressive
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are returningprogressive
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is returningprogressive
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have been returningperfect progressive
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has been returningperfect progressive
Past
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returnedsimple
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had returnedperfect
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was returningprogressive
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were returningprogressive
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had been returningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of return
First recorded in 1275–1325; (verb) Middle English retornen, from Middle French retorner, returner, Old French ( see re-, turn); (noun) Middle English, from Anglo-French retorn, return, derivative of Old French retorner, returner; (adjective) derivative of the noun
Explanation
When you return, you go back somewhere after being away. If you haven't been to Disney World since your fifth birthday, it might be fun to return when you're older. There are many ways to return — you can come back to a place, state, or activity, the way you return to jogging after getting a drink, or return to a feeling of sadness after brief cheer. You also might return something to someone else: "I need to return the book she loaned me," or "He returns her smile across the crowded room." A return can be a comment, a lobbed tennis ball, or even a financial profit.
Vocabulary lists containing return
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And that does not factor in eight-time All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald’s possible return from retirement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Statistics from the last Premier League season do not feature Manchester City maestro Rodri as he continued his return from a anterior cruciate ligament injury.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Comic book fans will return to San Diego, California on Thursday for the latest Comic-Con, with many convention-goers buzzing about this year's return of Marvel.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The fibers are engineered to a length that enables them to resonate, producing a return that confuses enemy radar or tricks radar-guided missiles into locking onto the wrong target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Gingersnipes stood and went to the front door, which Clare had left ajar in the chaos of his return.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Through the 1980s and much of the 1990s, Robertson’s value-oriented hedge fund, Tiger Management, had amazing returns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Investors' appetite for all things artificial intelligence has been tested in recent months on concern about elevated valuations and as they question when the trillions pumped into the sector will see returns.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Momentum investing has paid huge dividends over time, and it is strongly endorsed by academic research, but the returns can be lumpy — you will occasionally get a very nasty spell of underperformance.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
The mile returns to the Games for the first time since the 1966 edition in Kingston, Jamaica.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Nixon then sat in the Lincoln Sitting Room, his tooth throbbing, as election returns began coming in.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
More than 43,000 people were booked into detention centers nationwide in June, the highest recorded since President Trump returned to office, the data show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Streeting is now defence secretary, replacing Dan Jarvis, the former British Army officer, who had initially replaced Healey and has now returned to his previous post of security minister.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The solemn dignified transfer, in which the servicemembers’ remains are returned to the U.S., occurs for those who die in the theater of operations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Ananas said unless Fedorov returned, the discontent was likely to continue.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
“But,” he returned with equal good humor, “a brother of the Chosen People!”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Then it was off to Western Michigan for O’Leary last season, where he was defensive coordinator — a year of experience in that job before returning to replace the departing Minter for the Chargers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Wearing shorts and a T-shirt, he said he felt revitalised by returning to the country.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Penguin’s reissue makes a persuasive case for returning to these four novels, and for reading them together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Take “Avatar,” which seduced audiences with its immersive 3D format so intensely that some viewers reported experiencing depression returning to the real world.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Go home! thought Jeremy, sending her an image of herself returning through the little door.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
