comebacks

noun

plural of comeback
1
as in retorts
a quick witty response always ready with a comeback for every insult

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in responses
something spoken or written in reaction especially to a question regardless of the question posed by the prosecutor, the witness had a plausible comeback

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of comebacks Three of those comebacks have come since 2020, including Los Angeles' rally over the Braves in the 2020 NLCS. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Those reactions, and comebacks, are not what the SKC of April and March would have done. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 The 20-year-old Spaniard beat Botic van de Zandschulp 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-2, having previously made comebacks to beat Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round and Jiri Lehecka in the third round. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Week 4 of the NFL season featured dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks, quarterbacks who redeemed themselves, quarterbacks who continued to struggle and three teams left standing with undefeated records. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 On came Stafford, who ranks fourth all time in fourth-quarter comebacks. — Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026 Her son is a carbon copy of his dad — looks like him and acts like him, particularly with his funny comments, comebacks and retorts. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2026 Those lucky enough to make it aboard became a test audience for two brand comebacks, each fiercely looking to win over a younger generation before betting on a much bigger, more calculated swing. — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 Doug Moreau caught a two-point conversion to seal an LSU win in 1964, and Archie Manning engineered two Ole Miss comebacks in 1968 and 1969. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for comebacks
  1. retorts
  2. responses
  3. replies
  4. answers
  5. reactions
Noun
  • Her son is a carbon copy of his dad — looks like him and acts like him, particularly with his funny comments, comebacks and retorts.
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Our minds generate sharp retorts or zingers that would eviscerate or humiliate them.
    — Dr. Joel M. Rothaizer, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of retorts
Noun
  • PwC’s 2026 Global CEO Survey, based on responses from 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories, found that 56% had realized neither revenue nor cost benefits from AI.
    — Kelvin Cheema, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The goal of the center, a senior official told Chelsea, is to get to the bottom of why some people’s immune systems have more robust responses than others, and to learn more about diseases, as well as ways to make vaccines more safe and effective.
    — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of responses
Noun
  • Many of the offensive and controversial remarks came in freewheeling replies to otherwise anodyne comments about current events, politics or games.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The council member then upbraided the SpaceX representative for the vagueness of some of her replies.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of replies
Noun
  • Ultimately, Kipe said, the podcast is about helping others who are looking for answers.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Helping other families Their experience seeking answers in Amy’s case and hearing other families describe similar struggles, prompted Shawn and Angie to consider starting a nonprofit years ago.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of answers
Noun
  • People in the comments were quick to fire off plenty of reactions and responses to the two country stars performing together.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Because the reactions occur in containers, sensors can measure them.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of reactions

Browse Nearby Words

comeback
comebacks
come by
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Comebacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/comebacks. 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

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
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

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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