diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 7a2c030..e1a91f1 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ OP_LIST_BEGIN = 8
 OP_LIST_END = 9
 OP_LIST_LITERAL = 10
 OP_OTHER = 11
+OP_RET = 12
 
 _OP_STR_TO_INT = {
     "word": OP_WORD,
@@ -357,6 +358,7 @@ _OP_STR_TO_INT = {
     "list_begin": OP_LIST_BEGIN,
     "list_end": OP_LIST_END,
     "list_literal": OP_LIST_LITERAL,
+    "ret": OP_RET,
 }
 
 
@@ -1012,13 +1014,13 @@ class Parser:
         _KW_PY = 6
         _KW_EXTERN = 7
         _KW_PRIORITY = 8
+        _KW_RET = 9
         _keyword_dispatch = {
             "[": _KW_LIST_BEGIN, "]": _KW_LIST_END, "word": _KW_WORD,
             "end": _KW_END, ":asm": _KW_ASM, ":py": _KW_PY,
-            "extern": _KW_EXTERN, "priority": _KW_PRIORITY,
+            "extern": _KW_EXTERN, "priority": _KW_PRIORITY, "ret": _KW_RET,
         }
         _kw_get = _keyword_dispatch.get
-
         _tokens = self.tokens
         try:
             while self.pos < len(_tokens):
@@ -1065,6 +1067,8 @@ class Parser:
                         self._parse_extern(token)
                     elif kw == _KW_PRIORITY:
                         self._parse_priority_directive(token)
+                    elif kw == _KW_RET:
+                        self._handle_ret(token)
                     continue
                 if self._try_handle_builtin_control(token):
                     continue
@@ -1297,6 +1301,9 @@ class Parser:
         self._pending_priority = None
         return value
 
+    def _handle_ret(self, token: Token) -> None:
+        self._append_op(_make_op("ret", loc=token))
+
     # Internal helpers ---------------------------------------------------------
 
     def _parse_extern(self, token: Token) -> None:
@@ -3998,6 +4005,7 @@ class CompileTimeVM:
         _OP_JUMP = OP_JUMP
         _OP_LABEL = OP_LABEL
         _OP_LIST_BEGIN = OP_LIST_BEGIN
+        _OP_RET = OP_RET
         _OP_LIST_END = OP_LIST_END
         _OP_LIST_LITERAL = OP_LIST_LITERAL
         try:
@@ -4301,6 +4309,9 @@ class CompileTimeVM:
                     ip += 1
                     continue
 
+                if kind == _OP_RET:
+                    return
+
                 self.current_location = _node.loc
                 raise ParseError(f"unsupported compile-time op (opcode={kind})")
         finally:
@@ -4474,6 +4485,9 @@ class FunctionEmitter:
         _a(f"    mov {register}, [r12]")
         _a("    add r12, 8")
 
+    def ret(self) -> None:
+        self.text.append("    ret")
+
 
 def _int_trunc_div(lhs: int, rhs: int) -> int:
     if rhs == 0:
@@ -6554,6 +6568,10 @@ class Assembler:
             builder.emit("    mov [r12], rax")
             return
 
+        if kind == OP_RET:
+            builder.ret()
+            return
+
         raise CompileError(f"unsupported op {node!r} while emitting '{self._emit_stack[-1]}'" if self._emit_stack else f"unsupported op {node!r}")
 
     def _emit_mmap_alloc(self, builder: FunctionEmitter, size: int, target_reg: str = "rax") -> None:
@@ -10476,6 +10494,26 @@ def _run_docs_tui(
                 "  3 1 syscall  # 3 args, nr=1 (write)"
             ),
         },
+        {
+            "name": "ret",
+            "category": "Control Flow",
+            "syntax": "ret",
+            "summary": "Return from a word",
+            "detail": (
+                "Returns from a word.\n\n"
+                "Example:\n"
+                "  word a\n"
+                "    \"g\" puts\n"
+                "    ret\n"
+                "    \"g\" puts\n"
+                "  end\n\n"
+                "  word main\n"
+                "    a\n"
+                "  end\n"
+                "Output:\n"
+                "  g\n"
+            ),
+        },
         {
             "name": "exit",
             "category": "System",
diff --git a/stdlib/utils.sl b/stdlib/utils.sl
index a87f509..f1ef28f 100644
--- a/stdlib/utils.sl
+++ b/stdlib/utils.sl
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 
-#strcmp [*, addr, len, addr | len] -> [*, addr, len, addr, len | bool]
+#strcmp [*, addr, len, addr | len] -> [* | bool]
 word strcmp
-    3 pick 2 pick @ swap @ ==
+    >r nip r> for
+        2dup c@ swap c@ != if drop drop 0 ret end
+        1 + swap 1 +
+    end
+    drop drop 1
 end
 
 #strconcat [*, addr, len, addr | len] -> [*, addr | len]
diff --git a/tests/ret_test.expected b/tests/ret_test.expected
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..01058d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ret_test.expected
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+g
diff --git a/tests/ret_test.sl b/tests/ret_test.sl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6465412
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ret_test.sl
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import stdlib.sl
+
+word g
+    "g" puts
+    ret
+    "g" puts
+end
+
+word main
+    g
+end
diff --git a/tests/str.expected b/tests/str.expected
index 2c9891f..c02ff56 100644
--- a/tests/str.expected
+++ b/tests/str.expected
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 1
-g
-g
+0
 hello world hello world hello world hello world hello world
diff --git a/tests/str.sl b/tests/str.sl
index 4d2483a..90cb504 100644
--- a/tests/str.sl
+++ b/tests/str.sl
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import stdlib.sl
 
 word main
-    "g" "g"
+    "ggggggggh" "ggggggggh"
+    strcmp
+    puti cr
+
+    "ggggggggh" "ggggggggd"
     strcmp
     puti cr
-    puts
-    puts
 
     "hello world hello world hello " "world hello world hello world"
     strconcat