homecoming

noun

home·​com·​ing ˈhōm-ˌkə-miŋ How to pronounce homecoming (audio)
1
: a return home
a soldier's homecoming
2
: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented or regarded as home
especially : an annual celebration for alumni at a high school, college, or university
—often used before another noun
a homecoming rally
homecoming weekend
the annual homecoming game/dance
was elected the homecoming queen

Examples of homecoming in a Sentence

A large crowd gathered at the airport for the soldiers' homecoming.
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.
Last week, Air Academy High School canceled its homecoming game against Lutheran High School. — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026 Cohan joins the eight-episode series as Catherine ‘Cat’ Keegan, a former homecoming queen whose small-town charm has sharpened into something fiercer thanks to decades of old grudges and regrets. — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Cohan plays Catherine ‘Cat’ Keegan, a former homecoming queen whose small-town charm has sharpened into something fiercer thanks to decades of old grudges and regrets. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 Senior safety Giuseppe Sessi, who is also making a homecoming after playing at Reagan, said his dad told him to expect a cheering section of about 200 friends and family. — Greg Luca, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for homecoming

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of homecoming was in the 15th century

Rhymes for homecoming

See All Rhymes for homecoming

Browse Nearby Words

home car
homecoming
home computer
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Cite this Entry

“Homecoming.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homecoming. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

homecoming

noun
home·​com·​ing ˈhōm-ˌkəm-ing How to pronounce homecoming (audio)
1
: a return home
2
a
: the return of a group of people usually on a special occasion to a place formerly frequented
b
: a yearly celebration for alumni at a school
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