return the favor

phrase

: to do something the same or similar in return for something done
He treats them well, and they return the favor.

Examples of return the favor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Saadi stayed on call as Rahbani’s in-house bassist, and Rahbani would return the favor by recording Saadi’s personal projects. — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026 After being swept last season, the Brewers may return the favor and take out the Dodgers and their dynasty in four games. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Cruise has yet to return the favor and say anything publicly about Verity. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Oct. 2026 Making robotics sustainable After spending so much of her career borrowing from nature, Mazzolai is now eager to return the favor. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for return the favor

Rhymes for return the favor

See All Rhymes for return the favor

Browse Nearby Words

return (someone's) fire
return the favor
return ticket
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Return the favor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/return%20the%20favor. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All