return
ri-TURN
/rɪˈtɜːrn/
The act of sending a purchased item back to the retailer, usually for a refund or exchange.
In e-commerce, the 'return policy' is a major factor in customer trust.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 're-' (back) and 'tornare' (to turn on a lathe). It literally means to turn something back to where it came from.
Word relationships
- exchange: An exchange is a specific type of return where you get a different item instead of money.
- keep: To keep is to decide not to return the item.
Commonly confused with
- refund: A return is the act of sending the item back; a refund is the money you get back for doing so.
Word family
- returnable (adjective): Able to be returned.
Collocations
- return policy
- free returns
- return label
Idioms & expressions
- point of no return
Example sentences
- "The store offers a 30-day no-questions-asked return policy for all online orders." Customer service policy.
Memory hook
You 'Turn' the item 'Re' (back) to the seller. Send it back.
When not to use
In finance, 'return' refers to profit (Return on Investment), so be careful in business contexts.
Fun facts
- Approximately 30% of all products ordered online are returned, compared to only 9% in physical stores.
Related words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.