1To return to a place or state one was in before; to come back or revert.
なくした鍵が交番に届けられて、無事に手元に返ってきた。
My lost key was handed in at the police box and safely made its way back to me.
貸したお金は結局返ってこなかった。
In the end, the money I lent never came back.
名前を呼ばれて、彼はふと我に返った。
Being called by name, he suddenly came back to his senses.
2For an object's front and back, or its orientation, to switch — to flip over.
強い風でカレンダーのページが返ってしまった。
A strong wind flipped the calendar page over.
焼いているうちに魚がひとりでに返った。
While it was grilling, the fish flipped over on its own.
3Attached to the -masu stem of a verb, this suffix adds the meaning of becoming completely so, to an extreme degree, or of recovering vigor — as in 生き返る (come back to life), 若返る (become rejuvenated), 静まり返る (become hushed).
冷たい水を飲んで生き返った気がした。
Drinking cold water, I felt like I'd come back to life.
温泉に入って、すっかり若返った気分になった。
After soaking in the hot spring, I felt completely rejuvenated.
先生が教室に入ってくると、教室は静まり返った。
When the teacher entered the classroom, it fell completely silent.