comeuppance
Other forms: comeuppances
Comeuppance describes a fate or punishment that's deserved, like when an arrogant trash-talking quarterback fumbles the ball on the last play and loses the game for his team.
Comeuppance began as a term that meant "present oneself for judgment by a tribunal." That was in 1859. You can picture an accused person approaching a judge, or "coming up" to the front of a courtroom. Guilt, innocence — comeuppance can be either, and it can apply to things beyond the justice system. Nowadays you'll most likely hear this word describe something bad. If someone gets a deserved punishment, you'd say "He got his comeuppance."
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an outcome (good or bad) that is well deservedsynonyms: comeupance, deserts
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Vocabulary lists containing comeuppance
In this autobiography, the South African president describes his childhood, education, and the battles against Apartheid that led to his imprisonment for nearly thirty years.
In this classic autobiography, the accomplished poet and writer recounts her childhood and teenage years.
Harry can't wait to return for his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, until a house elf named Dobby warns him of terrible danger ahead. When students start turning to stone — and Harry is a prime suspect — the boy wizard must figure out what's really going on at Hogwarts.