A comeuppance is what happens when someone who has been behaving badly finally faces the consequences they deserve. When a bully who has been picking on smaller kids for months finally gets suspended, that's their comeuppance. When a cheater who has been getting away with dishonesty finally gets caught and fails the class, they've gotten their comeuppance.

The word carries a sense of justice and satisfaction. It describes that moment when someone's bad behavior catches up with them, and they experience the natural results of their actions. In stories, the villain often gets their comeuppance in the final chapters: the scheming character's plans fall apart, or the cruel stepmother loses her power.

You might hear someone say, “He'll get his comeuppance eventually,” meaning that even if someone seems to be getting away with bad behavior now, consequences will catch up with them later. The word suggests that the universe has a way of balancing things out, and that people who mistreat others or break rules will eventually face appropriate punishment or embarrassment.

Notice that comeuppance isn't about revenge or being mean back to someone. It's about natural consequences and deserved outcomes finally arriving.