The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word COUNTERED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
C
O
U
N
T
E
R
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Came back" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case came back = countered.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
COUNTERED verb- To contradict, oppose.
- To return a blow while receiving one, as in boxing.
- To take action in response to; to respond.
- To encounter.