return the favor
idiom
: 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
To return the favor 10 years later, The Weeknd read out a statement hyping up Cruise's new movie Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, which premieres in theaters on May 23.
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Michael Nied, People.com, 17 May 2025
After studying superb starlings for two decades, researchers suggest the birds support unrelated members of their flock in raising their chicks, with the expectation that those members will return the favor in the future.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
The first person to do a favor goes out on a limb but expects the recipient to return the favor at some point.
—Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
UConn was eliminated from the 2024 Final Four by a heartbreaking two-point loss to Iowa, so the Huskies would likely relish an opportunity to return the favor.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for return the favor
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Michael Nied, People.com, 17 May 2025
After studying superb starlings for two decades, researchers suggest the birds support unrelated members of their flock in raising their chicks, with the expectation that those members will return the favor in the future.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
The first person to do a favor goes out on a limb but expects the recipient to return the favor at some point.
—Lieke Ten Brummelhuis, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
UConn was eliminated from the 2024 Final Four by a heartbreaking two-point loss to Iowa, so the Huskies would likely relish an opportunity to return the favor.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for return the favor
Cite this Entry
“Return the favor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/return%20the%20favor. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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