return

American  

[ri-turn] / rɪˈtɜrn /

verb (used without object)

• returns,
  present (3rd person singular)
• returned,
  past participle,  past
• returning
  present participle

1. 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.

2. to revert to a former owner.

   The money I gave him returns to me in the event of his death.

3. to revert or recur, as in thought, discourse, etc..

   He returned to his story.

4. to make a reply or retort.

   She returned with a witty sally.

   Synonyms:

   respond, reply, rejoin, answer

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verb (used with object)

• returns,
  present (3rd person singular)
• returned,
  past participle,  past
• returning
  present participle

1. 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.

   Synonyms:

   restore, replace

2. to send or give back in reciprocation, recompense, or requital.

   to return evil for good.

   Synonyms:

   exchange

3. 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.

4. Law.

   1. to give to a judge or official (a statement or a writ of actions done).

   2. to render (a verdict, decision, etc.).

5. to reflect (light, sound, etc.).

6. to yield (a profit, revenue, etc.), as in return for labor, expenditure, or investment.

   Synonyms:

   clear, yield, pay out, pay, earn

7. to report or announce officially.

   to return a list of members.

8. to elect, as to a legislative body.

   The voters returned him to office by a landslide.

9. Military. to put (a weapon) back into its holder.

10. Cards. to respond to (a suit led) by a similar lead.

    She returned diamonds.

11. to turn back or in the reverse direction, as a served ball in tennis.

12. 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

• returns
  plural

1. 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.

2. a recurrence.

   the return of the moon each month.

3. reciprocation, repayment, or requital.

   profits in return for outlay.

4. response or reply.

5. a person or thing that is returned.

   returns of mill goods.

6. the gain realized on an exchange of goods.

7. Often returns a yield or profit, as from labor, land, business, or investment.

   He received a quick return on his money.

   Synonyms:

   income, revenue

8. tax return.

9. Usually returns an official or unofficial report on a count of votes, candidates elected, etc..

   election returns.

10. Chiefly British. return ticket.

11. Architecture.

    1. the continuation of a molding, projection, etc., in a different direction.

    2. a side or part that falls away from the front of any straight or flat member or area.

12. a tablelike extension attached at a right angle to a desk at typing height, for holding a typewriter, computer, etc.

13. 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.

14. Computers. carriage return2

15. Sports.

    1. the act of returning a ball.

    2. the ball that is returned.

16. Football. a runback of a kick, intercepted pass, or fumble recovery.

17. Economics. yield per unit as compared to the cost per unit involved in a specific industrial process.

18. Law.

    1. 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.

    2. a certified document by a great variety of officers, as assessors, collectors, and election officers.

    3. the report or certificate endorsed in such documents.

19. Cards. a lead that responds to a partner's lead.

20. Theater. a flat or drapery parallel to the tormentor for masking the offstage area and often completing the downstage part of a set.

21. returns,

    1. merchandise shipped back to a supplier from a retailer or distributor as unsold or unsalable.

    2. merchandise returned to a retailer by a consumer.

adjective

1. of or relating to a return or returning.

   a return trip.

2. sent, given, or done in return.

   a return shot.

3. done or occurring again.

   a return engagement of the opera.

4. noting a person or thing that is returned or returning to a place.

   return cargo.

5. changing in direction; doubling or returning on itself.

   a return twist in a road.

6. used for returning, recirculating, etc.: a return pipe.

   the return road;

   a return pipe.

7. (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.

8. 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.

return British  

/ rɪˈtɜːn /

verb

1. (intr) to come back to a former place or state

2. (tr) to give, take, or carry back; replace or restore

3. (tr) to repay or recompense, esp with something of equivalent value

   return the compliment

4. (tr) to earn or yield (profit or interest) as an income from an investment or venture

5. (intr) to come back or revert in thought or speech

   I'll return to that later

6. (intr) to recur or reappear

   the symptoms have returned

7. to answer or reply

8. (tr) to vote into office; elect

9. (tr) law (of a jury) to deliver or render (a verdict)

10. (tr) to send back or reflect (light or sound)

    the canyon returned my shout

11. (tr) to submit (a report, etc) about (someone or something) to someone in authority

12. (tr) cards to lead back (the suit led by one's partner)

13. (tr) ball games to hit, throw, or play (a ball) back

14. (tr) architect to turn (a part, decorative moulding, etc) away from its original direction

15. (of Christians) to say grace before a meal

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noun

1. the act or an instance of coming back

2. 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

3. the act or an instance of putting, sending, or carrying back; replacement or restoration

4. (often plural) the yield, revenue, or profit accruing from an investment, transaction, or venture

5. the act or an instance of reciprocation or repayment (esp in the phrase in return for )

6. a recurrence or reappearance

7. an official report, esp of the financial condition of a company

8. 1. a form (a tax return ) on which a statement concerning one's taxable income is made

   2. the statement itself

9. (often plural) a statement of the votes counted at an election or poll

10. an answer or reply

11. short for return ticket

12. informal a second helping of food served at a table

13. architect

    1. a part of a building that forms an angle with the façade

    2. any part of an architectural feature that forms an angle with the main part

14. 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

15. cards a lead of a card in the suit that one's partner has previously led

16. ball games the act of playing or throwing a ball back

17. by the next post back to the sender

18. a conventional greeting to someone on his or her birthday

19. the point at which a person's commitment is irrevocable

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characterized by a return

   a return visit

   a return performance

2. denoting a second, reciprocated occasion

   a return match

return Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing return

• in return
• many happy returns
• point of no return

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• prereturn
  noun
• nonreturn
  adjective
• unreturned
  adjective
• unreturning
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• returns
  plural

Participles

• returning
  present
• returned
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• return
  simple
• returns
  simple
• have returned
  perfect
• has returned
  perfect
• am returning
  progressive
• are returning
  progressive
• is returning
  progressive
• have been returning
  perfect progressive
• has been returning
  perfect progressive

Past

• returned
  simple
• had returned
  perfect
• was returning
  progressive
• were returning
  progressive
• had been returning
  perfect progressive

Future

• will return
  simple
• will have returned
  perfect
• will be returning
  progressive
• will have been returning
  perfect progressive

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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

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

return returns returned returning

Radic said he fled, fearing he would be jailed for his journalism and could return to Serbia safely only if "the government changes".

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

It has also argued that Haiti is safe enough to return to.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

Maybe we should return to the days when we farmed where it rained a lot.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

“After verification, your ballot is separated from the return envelope before counting. The envelope barcode tracks your ballot’s return, not your voting choices.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

“Good night, C.C. I’ll return the Wreck-less tomorrow.”

From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el

There were 40,605 returns from July 2025 to June 2026.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

Toward the end of the first act, after Ukrainian troops retake Kherson, a soldier returns home expecting to find his daughter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

Elevated levels of capital expenditures across the AI landscape have been a source of concern among investors who are unsure whether companies can generate returns sufficient to justify the investment.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

Pulitzer winner Hernan Diaz returns with ‘Ply,’ an ambitious, science-fiction leap into a fallen metropolis where art and anarchy reign.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

She pats me on the shoulder again and returns to the piano bench.

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

But she returned several times, and whenever she was in the area, her thoughts would turn to Aberfan.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

Applegate, who recently returned to the public eye after a lengthy hospital stay this year, revealed her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2021.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026

And by that point, he had returned to form.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

But so far in 2026, Komatsu’s ADR has returned 47.5%, while Caterpillar has returned 27.5%.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

But then breakfast came and went and, when it was lunchtime and she still hadn’t returned, even he and Auntie began to look concerned.

From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler

While some larger businesses could dedicate staff to monitoring the application process, Richard spent the morning carrying out day-to-day work on the farm before returning to complete his submission.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly returning to British soil along with their two children starting this month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

The biggest U.S. automaker has been returning billions to investors even as high interest rates, soaring gas prices and trade wars rattle the global auto industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

After returning to the MoD in an HR role, then moving to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to work on the Olympics, Jackson left the Civil Service and worked for the Samaritans.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

It was a kindness returning to the giver.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

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Related Words

• announce
• arrive at
• come back
• come in
• come to
• declare
• deliver
• pass
• report
• respond
• submit

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