comeuppance

noun

come·​up·​pance (ˌ)kəm-ˈə-pən(t)s 

: a deserved rebuke or penalty : deserts

One of these days, he'll get his comeuppance for treating people so arrogantly.

Synonyms

• castigation
• chastisement
• correction
• desert(s)
• discipline
• nemesis
• penalty
• punishment
• wrath

Examples of comeuppance in a Sentence

One of these days, he'll get his comeuppance for treating people so arrogantly.

as with many action movies, this one ends with a wild chase and an over-the-top fight sequence in which the bad guys finally get their comeuppance

Recent Examples on the Web

And a healthy portion tunes in hoping the Chiefs get their comeuppance. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 6 Feb. 2025

Still, when the third act finally arrives, Russell deserves credit for making the audacious decision to deny his characters their comeuppance and instead end the film on a cynical note. —Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025

Others are the result of what could be thought of as a little instant comeuppance. —Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 23 Jan. 2025

If this pilgrimage is meant to offer a comeuppance for these two overgrown Millennial boys, to relativize their own pain as small, this reckoning never arrives. —Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

come up + -ance

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

comeuppance

noun

come·​up·​pance

(ˌ)kəm-ˈəp-ən(t)s

: strong criticism that is deserved