What is the purpose of the 'return' statement in a function?

The purpose of the 'return' statement in a function is to exit the function and send a value back to the place where the function was called. This is critical for functions that need to provide a result after performing their operations. When the 'return' statement is executed, it not only terminates the function's execution but also allows the caller to use the returned value for further processing or calculations.

For instance, if a function is designed to calculate the sum of two numbers, it would use a 'return' statement to provide that sum back to the calling code, enabling the calling code to utilize that sum in subsequent operations. Without the 'return' statement, the value computed within the function would not be accessible outside of it, rendering the function's results effectively useless for further calculations or logic in the program.

In contrast, defining a variable, initializing a loop, or creating a new function are distinct actions that do not relate to the function's purpose of providing feedback through a return value. Each of these actions serves different roles within programming but does not directly involve the mechanics of returning values from a function.