comeback

1 of 2

noun

come·​back ˈkəm-ˌbak 

1

a

: a sharp or witty reply : retort

b

: a cause for complaint

2

: a return to a former position or condition (as of success or prosperity) : recovery, revival

… staging his ultimate comeback from self-imposed exile in Belgium.

—Howard Mandel

These days, the cocktail—the true cocktail—is said to be making a comeback.

—Frank H. Prial

come back

2 of 2

verb

came back; come back; coming back; comes back

intransitive verb

1

: to return to life or vitality

2

: to return to memory

it's all coming back to me now

3

: reply, retort

when questioned, he came back with a vehement denial

4

a

: to regain a former favorable condition or position

b

: to recover from a deficit in a contest or competition

… it was the first time in NHL history that a team was down by three goals inside the final five minutes and came back to win a game.

—Mike Harrington

Synonyms

Noun

• repartee
• retort
• riposte

Verb

• convalesce
• gain
• heal
• mend
• pull round [chiefly British]
• rally
• recoup
• recover
• recuperate
• snap back

Examples of comeback in a Sentence

Noun

The species was nearly extinct but is now making a comeback.

Short skirts were out of fashion for many years, but now they're making a comeback.

The team was trailing after the first half, but they made a comeback and won in the second half.

The team mounted a comeback in the second half of the season.

Verb

she's slowly coming back after being in a coma

the American bald eagle was once nearly extinct but has come back strong

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Pole, who underwent a high-profile coaching change, struggled against her Czech opponent before finding her rhythm in a third-set comeback. —Manasi Pathak, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The company can now focus its efforts on starting 2025 on better footing and staging a comeback after years of difficulty. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 5 Nov. 2024

Verb

For hundreds of yachts that make the annual pilgrimage, not having to cross the Atlantic from the Med and come back again for the summer will be a welcome change. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2024

When Wiley returns a few minutes later with a tissue, his indignation has come back, too. —Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1860, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

comeback

noun

come·​back ˈkəm-ˌbak 

1

: retort entry 2

2

: a return to a former position or condition (as of health, power, popularity, or prosperity) : recovery