Return definition

Return as a verb

1. go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

   "return to your native land"

2. give back

   Same sense: render

3. go back to a previous state

   Same sense: turn back, revert, regress, retrovert

4. go back to something earlier

   Same sense: come back, recall, hark back

5. bring back to the point of departure

   Same sense: take back, bring back

6. return in kind

   "return a compliment"

7. make a return

   "return a kickback"

8. answer back

   Same sense: come back, repay, rejoin, retort, riposte

9. be restored

   "Her old vigor returned"

   Same sense: come back

10. pay back

    Same sense: give back, refund, repay

11. pass down

    Same sense: deliver, render

12. elect again

    Same sense: re-elect, reelect

13. be inherited by

    "The land returned to the family"

    Same sense: fall, pass, devolve

14. return to a previous position; in mathematics

    "The point returned to the interior of the figure"

15. give or supply

    Same sense: give, generate, yield, render

16. submit (a report, etc.) to someone in authority

    "Gov. Chris Christie has returned a bill to the New Jersey Assembly on increased gun regulations"

Return as a noun

17. document giving the tax collector information about the taxpayer's tax liability

    "his gross income was enough that he had to file a tax return"

    Same sense: tax return, income tax return

18. a coming to or returning home

    "on his return from Australia we gave him a welcoming party"

    Same sense: homecoming

19. the occurrence of a change in direction back in the opposite direction

    Same sense: coming back

20. getting something back again

    Same sense: restoration, restitution, regaining

21. the act of going back to a prior location

    "they set out on their return to the base camp"

22. the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property

    "the average return was about 5%"

    Same sense: take, issue, yield, proceeds, payoff, takings

23. happening again (especially at regular intervals)

    "the return of spring"

    Same sense: recurrence

24. a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

    Same sense: counter, comeback, replication, retort, riposte, rejoinder

25. the key on electric typewriters or computer keyboards that causes a carriage return and a line feed

    Same sense: return key

26. a reciprocal group action

    "in return we gave them as good as we got"

    Same sense: getting even, paying back

27. a tennis stroke that sends the ball back to the other player

    "he won the point on a cross-court return"

28. (American football) the act of running back the ball after a kickoff or punt or interception or fumble

29. the act of someone appearing again

    Same sense: reappearance

Synonyms and antonyms

• render
• turn back
• revert
• regress
• retrovert
• come back
• recall
• hark back
• take back
• bring back
• repay
• rejoin
• retort
• riposte
• give back
• refund
• deliver
• re-elect
• reelect
• fall definition
• pass
• devolve
• give definition
• generate

How to say return

Return has 2 syllables and rhymes with turn. Syllable counts and rhymes come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary.

Words that rhyme with return

• turn
• learn
• concern
• burn
• earn
• stern
• fern
• urn
• discern
• overturn
• downturn
• kern

RETURN in word games

Scrabble

6

Words With Friends

8

Anagrams

1

Is RETURN a valid Scrabble word? Yes, it is in the ENABLE list most word games use. Check RETURN in the word checker, or unscramble RETURN to see its 1 anagram and the shorter words in its letters.