comeback

[ kuhm-bak ]

noun

1. a return to a former higher rank, popularity, position, prosperity, etc.:

   The ex-champion kept trying to make a comeback.

2. a clever or effective retort; rejoinder; riposte:

   That was a great comeback the comedian made to the hecklers.

3. Informal. a basis or cause of complaint:

   If you insist on buying these pointed shoes, you'll have no comeback when your toes start to hurt.

comeback

/ ˈkʌmˌbæk /

noun

1. a return to a former position, status, etc
2. a return or response, esp recriminatory
3. a quick reply; retort

verb

1. to return
2. to become fashionable again
3. to reply after a period of consideration

   I'll come back to you on that next week

4. to argue back; retort
5. come back to someone
   come back to someone (of something forgotten) to return to someone's memory

Word History and Origins

Origin of comeback¹

First recorded in 1815–25; noun use of verb phrase come back

Example Sentences

The Washington Nationals are no strangers to long-shot comeback bids.

From FiveThirtyEight

Now, thanks to Covid-19, the custom appears poised to make at least a modest comeback, according to three transportation companies that spoke to Quartz.

From Quartz

It’s not often that a 19th century old technology makes a comeback.

From Quartz

Free throws, which had been steadily dropping in the 3-point era, made a comeback.

From FiveThirtyEight

Colleges and universities have constantly shifted their comeback plans, but at this point about 25 percent plan to be mostly online, 21 percent primarily in person, 15 percent taking a hybrid approach … and 27 percent TBD.

From Ozy

The Comeback was, without question, one of the year's best and funniest comedies.

From The Daily Beast

We might have thought The Comeback was about a desperate actress's shameless struggle for fame.

From The Daily Beast

If laughter is the best medicine, The Comeback made you feel enough pain to need a dose—and then it delivered in spades.

From The Daily Beast

When you think about all of that, the success of this Comeback run is all the more impressive.

From The Daily Beast

It's been nine years that fans of The Comeback have been clamoring for HBO to "give her another take."

From The Daily Beast

Now, with every chance for a comeback, Nan wanted me to pass!

From Project Gutenberg

Fergus made an extremely poor showing on Memorial Day, and the manager thinks this odd bull would provide a real comeback!

From Project Gutenberg

The only American comeback to this growing prejudice is to build factories or assembling plants within the British Isles.

From Project Gutenberg

Old Jim Lough is cautious and reliable, but he's set the date of the comeback too far off.

From Project Gutenberg

I gawps curious over at J. Bayard to see what comeback he has to this dose of mush, and finds him starin' foolish at her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• improvement
• rebound
• resurgence
• return
• revival
• victory
• winning