comeback

See also: Comeback, come back, come-back, and Come-back

English

Etymology

Deverbal from come back.

Pronunciation

• (foot–strut split)

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌmbæk/, [ˈkʰʌmbæk]
• (Standard Southern British) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌmbak/, [ˈkʰʌmbak]

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌmbak/, [ˈkʰʌmbäk]
• (Wales) IPA^(key): /ˈkəmbak/, [ˈkʰəmbak]
• (Australia) IPA^(key): /ˈkɐmbæk/, [ˈkʰɐ̞mbæk]
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈkɐmbɛk/, [ˈkʰɐ̞mbɛk]

• (without the foot–strut split)

• (Northern England, Midlands) IPA^(key): /ˈkʊmbak/, [ˈkʰʊmbak] ~ [ˈkʰʊmbäk]

• Hyphenation: come‧back

Noun

comeback (plural comebacks)

1. A return (e.g. to popularity, success, etc.) after an extended period of obscurity or underperformance.

   That fad went out with the eighties, but I think it's making a comeback.

   • 2013 December 6, alim17, “Girls' Generation rumored to make a comeback in early 2014!”, in allkpop.com‎^[1], archived from the original on 25 January 2025:

     According to rumors in the entertainment world on December 6, Girls' Generation will be making a comeback next year with a masculine concept. They have supposedly decided on the title song in their new album and have begun filming the music video on December 6. It appears they have started preparing for a full-scale comeback! It will be the girls' first Korean comeback in a year since "I Got a Boy."

2. A retort or answer, particularly a quick or clever one.

   Synonyms: rejoinder, retort

   I wish I had thought of a quick comeback for his comment.

3. (sports) An occurrence of an athlete or sports team in a competition overcoming a substantial disadvantage in points to win or draw.
   • 2011 February 5, Paul Fletcher, “Newcastle 4 - 4 Arsenal”, in BBC‎^[2], archived from the original on 7 August 2026:

     Newcastle produced a stunning comeback from 4-0 down to earn a draw that shocked title hopefuls Arsenal.

Usage notes

• In the sense of reply, more casual than retort or the somewhat formal rejoinder.

Derived terms

• comeback kid
• comeback money
• comeback queen
• comeback sauce
• turn a setback into a comeback

Descendants

• → Danish: comeback n
• → Dutch: comeback m
• → Finnish: comeback
• → French: comeback m
• → German: Comeback n
• → Japanese: カムバック (kamubakku)
• → Korean: 컴백 (keombaek)
• → Norwegian Bokmål: comeback m or n
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: comeback n
• → Persian: کامبک (kâmbak)
• → Russian: камбэ́к m (kambɛ́k)
• → Swedish: comeback c
• → Ukrainian: камбе́к m (kambék)

Translations

return to fame etc.

• Bulgarian: връщане (bg) n (vrăštane)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 東山再起 / 东山再起 (zh) (dōngshānzàiqǐ)

• Danish: tilbagekomst c, comeback n
• Faroese: afturkoma f
• Finnish: paluu (fi), comeback (fi)
• German: Rückkehr (de) f, Comeback (de) n
• Icelandic: endurkoma f, afturkoma (is) f
• Japanese: 復活 (ja) (fukkatsu), カムバック (ja) (kamubakku)
• Korean: 재기(再起) (ko) (jaegi), 컴백 (ko) (keombaek)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: comeback m or n, gjenkomst

  Nynorsk: comeback n, gjenkomst

• Polish: comeback (pl) m
• Russian: возвраще́ние (ru) n (vozvraščénije), (of movie stars, neologism) камбэ́к (ru) m (kambɛ́k)
• Spanish: retorno (es) m, repunte (es) m
• Swedish: återkomst (sv) c, comeback (sv) c
• Ukrainian: пове́рнення n (povérnennja), камбе́к m (kambék)

retort or answer — see also retort

• Bulgarian: отговор (bg) m (otgovor), възражение (bg) n (văzraženie)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 機智回應 / 机智回应 (jīzhì huíyìng)

• Finnish: vastaveto
• French: repartie (fr) f
• German: Retourkutsche (de) f
• Hungarian: visszavágás (hu), riposzt (hu)
• Māori: kupu paremata
• Polish: riposta (pl) f

sports: overcoming a substantial disadvantage

• Arabic: رِيمُونْتَادَا f (rīmūntādā)
• Catalan: remuntada (ca) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 逆轉勝 / 逆转胜

• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: nousu (fi)
• French: remontée (fr) f, comeback (fr) m
• Greek: ανατροπή (el) f (anatropí)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: comeback n, snuoperasjon m

• Persian: کامبک (kâmbak)
• Portuguese: virada (pt) f
• Russian: камбэк (ru) m (kambɛk)
• Spanish: remontada (es) f
• Tagalog: please add this translation if you can
• Ukrainian: камбе́к m (kambék)

Verb

comeback

1. Misspelling of come back.

Danish

Alternative forms

• come-back

Etymology

Borrowed from English comeback

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʌmˈbaɡ]

Noun

comeback n (singular definite comebacket, plural indefinite comebacks)

1. comeback (after an absence)

Declension

Declension of comeback

neuter gender	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	comeback	comebacket	comebacks	comebackene
genitive	comebacks	comebackets	comebacks'	comebacksenes

References

• “comeback” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English comeback.

Pronunciation

• (Netherlands) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑm.bɛk/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: come‧back

Noun

comeback m (plural comebacks, diminutive comebackje n)

1. comeback

Finnish

Alternative forms

• come-back

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English comeback.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæmbæk/, [ˈk̟æmbæk]
• IPA^(key): /ˈkæmbækːi/, [ˈk̟æmbækːi]
• Rhymes: -æmbæk
• Syllabification^(key): come‧back
• Hyphenation^(key): come‧back

Noun

comeback (colloquial)

1. comeback (return to popularity, success, fame etc.)

   Luulen, että se villitys tekee comebackiä.

   I think that fad is making a comeback.

Declension

Inflection of comeback (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		comeback	comebackit
genitive		comebackin	comebackien
partitive		comebackia	comebackeja
illative		comebackiin	comebackeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		comeback	comebackit
accusative	nom.	comeback	comebackit
	gen.	comebackin
genitive		comebackin	comebackien
partitive		comebackia	comebackeja
inessive		comebackissa	comebackeissa
elative		comebackista	comebackeista
illative		comebackiin	comebackeihin
adessive		comebackilla	comebackeilla
ablative		comebackilta	comebackeilta
allative		comebackille	comebackeille
essive		comebackina	comebackeina
translative		comebackiksi	comebackeiksi
abessive		comebackitta	comebackeitta
instructive		—	comebackein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of comeback (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative comebackini comebackini accusative nom. comebackini comebackini gen. comebackini genitive comebackini comebackieni partitive comebackiani comebackejani inessive comebackissani comebackeissani elative comebackistani comebackeistani illative comebackiini comebackeihini adessive comebackillani comebackeillani ablative comebackiltani comebackeiltani allative comebackilleni comebackeilleni essive comebackinani comebackeinani translative comebackikseni comebackeikseni abessive comebackittani comebackeittani instructive — — comitative — comebackeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative comebackisi comebackisi accusative nom. comebackisi comebackisi gen. comebackisi genitive comebackisi comebackiesi partitive comebackiasi comebackejasi inessive comebackissasi comebackeissasi elative comebackistasi comebackeistasi illative comebackiisi comebackeihisi adessive comebackillasi comebackeillasi ablative comebackiltasi comebackeiltasi allative comebackillesi comebackeillesi essive comebackinasi comebackeinasi translative comebackiksesi comebackeiksesi abessive comebackittasi comebackeittasi instructive — — comitative — comebackeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative comebackimme comebackimme accusative nom. comebackimme comebackimme gen. comebackimme genitive comebackimme comebackiemme partitive comebackiamme comebackejamme inessive comebackissamme comebackeissamme elative comebackistamme comebackeistamme illative comebackiimme comebackeihimme adessive comebackillamme comebackeillamme ablative comebackiltamme comebackeiltamme allative comebackillemme comebackeillemme essive comebackinamme comebackeinamme translative comebackiksemme comebackeiksemme abessive comebackittamme comebackeittamme instructive — — comitative — comebackeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative comebackinne comebackinne accusative nom. comebackinne comebackinne gen. comebackinne genitive comebackinne comebackienne partitive comebackianne comebackejanne inessive comebackissanne comebackeissanne elative comebackistanne comebackeistanne illative comebackiinne comebackeihinne adessive comebackillanne comebackeillanne ablative comebackiltanne comebackeiltanne allative comebackillenne comebackeillenne essive comebackinanne comebackeinanne translative comebackiksenne comebackeiksenne abessive comebackittanne comebackeittanne instructive — — comitative — comebackeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative comebackinsa comebackinsa accusative nom. comebackinsa comebackinsa gen. comebackinsa genitive comebackinsa comebackiensa partitive comebackiaan comebackiansa comebackejaan comebackejansa inessive comebackissaan comebackissansa comebackeissaan comebackeissansa elative comebackistaan comebackistansa comebackeistaan comebackeistansa illative comebackiinsa comebackeihinsa adessive comebackillaan comebackillansa comebackeillaan comebackeillansa ablative comebackiltaan comebackiltansa comebackeiltaan comebackeiltansa allative comebackilleen comebackillensa comebackeilleen comebackeillensa essive comebackinaan comebackinansa comebackeinaan comebackeinansa translative comebackikseen comebackiksensa comebackeikseen comebackeiksensa abessive comebackittaan comebackittansa comebackeittaan comebackeittansa instructive — — comitative — comebackeineen comebackeinensa

Inflection of comeback (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		comeback	comebackit
genitive		comebackin	comebackien
partitive		comebackiä	comebackejä
illative		comebackiin	comebackeihin
		singular	plural
nominative		comeback	comebackit
accusative	nom.	comeback	comebackit
	gen.	comebackin
genitive		comebackin	comebackien
partitive		comebackiä	comebackejä
inessive		comebackissä	comebackeissä
elative		comebackistä	comebackeistä
illative		comebackiin	comebackeihin
adessive		comebackillä	comebackeillä
ablative		comebackiltä	comebackeiltä
allative		comebackille	comebackeille
essive		comebackinä	comebackeinä
translative		comebackiksi	comebackeiksi
abessive		comebackittä	comebackeittä
instructive		—	comebackein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of comeback (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative comebackini comebackini accusative nom. comebackini comebackini gen. comebackini genitive comebackini comebackieni partitive comebackiäni comebackejäni inessive comebackissäni comebackeissäni elative comebackistäni comebackeistäni illative comebackiini comebackeihini adessive comebackilläni comebackeilläni ablative comebackiltäni comebackeiltäni allative comebackilleni comebackeilleni essive comebackinäni comebackeinäni translative comebackikseni comebackeikseni abessive comebackittäni comebackeittäni instructive — — comitative — comebackeineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative comebackisi comebackisi accusative nom. comebackisi comebackisi gen. comebackisi genitive comebackisi comebackiesi partitive comebackiäsi comebackejäsi inessive comebackissäsi comebackeissäsi elative comebackistäsi comebackeistäsi illative comebackiisi comebackeihisi adessive comebackilläsi comebackeilläsi ablative comebackiltäsi comebackeiltäsi allative comebackillesi comebackeillesi essive comebackinäsi comebackeinäsi translative comebackiksesi comebackeiksesi abessive comebackittäsi comebackeittäsi instructive — — comitative — comebackeinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative comebackimme comebackimme accusative nom. comebackimme comebackimme gen. comebackimme genitive comebackimme comebackiemme partitive comebackiämme comebackejämme inessive comebackissämme comebackeissämme elative comebackistämme comebackeistämme illative comebackiimme comebackeihimme adessive comebackillämme comebackeillämme ablative comebackiltämme comebackeiltämme allative comebackillemme comebackeillemme essive comebackinämme comebackeinämme translative comebackiksemme comebackeiksemme abessive comebackittämme comebackeittämme instructive — — comitative — comebackeinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative comebackinne comebackinne accusative nom. comebackinne comebackinne gen. comebackinne genitive comebackinne comebackienne partitive comebackiänne comebackejänne inessive comebackissänne comebackeissänne elative comebackistänne comebackeistänne illative comebackiinne comebackeihinne adessive comebackillänne comebackeillänne ablative comebackiltänne comebackeiltänne allative comebackillenne comebackeillenne essive comebackinänne comebackeinänne translative comebackiksenne comebackeiksenne abessive comebackittänne comebackeittänne instructive — — comitative — comebackeinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative comebackinsä comebackinsä accusative nom. comebackinsä comebackinsä gen. comebackinsä genitive comebackinsä comebackiensä partitive comebackiään comebackiänsä comebackejään comebackejänsä inessive comebackissään comebackissänsä comebackeissään comebackeissänsä elative comebackistään comebackistänsä comebackeistään comebackeistänsä illative comebackiinsä comebackeihinsä adessive comebackillään comebackillänsä comebackeillään comebackeillänsä ablative comebackiltään comebackiltänsä comebackeiltään comebackeiltänsä allative comebackilleen comebackillensä comebackeilleen comebackeillensä essive comebackinään comebackinänsä comebackeinään comebackeinänsä translative comebackikseen comebackiksensä comebackeikseen comebackeiksensä abessive comebackittään comebackittänsä comebackeittään comebackeittänsä instructive — — comitative — comebackeineen comebackeinensä

Synonyms

• paluu
• nousu (in sports, etc.)

Further reading

• “comeback”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English comeback.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔm.bak/, /kœm.bak/

Noun

comeback m (plural comebacks)

1. (anglicism) comeback; a return

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From English comeback.

Noun

comeback m or n (definite singular comebacken or comebacket, indefinite plural comeback, definite plural comebackene or comebacka)

1. a comeback (return by a well-known person to the activity in which they were famous after a long absence)

References

• “comeback” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From English comeback.

Noun

comeback n (definite singular comebacket, indefinite plural comeback, definite plural comebacka)

1. a comeback (return by a well-known person to the activity in which they were famous after a long absence)

References

• “comeback” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

English come backdeverb.

English comebackubor.

Polish comeback

Unadapted borrowing from English comeback.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kamˈbɛk/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛk
• Syllabification: come‧back

Noun

comeback m inan

1. comeback (return to fame)

Declension

Declension of comeback

	singular	plural
nominative	comeback	comebacki
genitive	comebacku	comebacków
dative	comebackowi	comebackom
accusative	comeback	comebacki
instrumental	comebackiem	comebackami
locative	comebacku	comebackach
vocative	comebacku	comebacki

Further reading

• “comeback”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[4] (in Polish)

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from English comeback.

Noun

comeback c

1. a comeback (after an absence)

   Simstjärnan gjorde storstilad comeback

   The swimming star made a grand comeback

Declension

Declension of comeback

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	comeback	comebacks
	definite	comebacken	comebackens
plural	indefinite	comebacker	comebackers
	definite	comebackerna	comebackernas

References

• “comeback”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “comeback”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)