diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Duration.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Duration.java
index 925e9c2f6a9..1aeaf747772 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Duration.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Duration.java
@@ -1419,7 +1419,9 @@ public final class Duration
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param otherDuration the other duration to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code otherDuration}
+     *          has a smaller length, zero if they are equal,
+     *          greater than zero if the {@code otherDuration} has a greater length
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(Duration otherDuration) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Instant.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Instant.java
index 6b01d4d4323..8cdc6120432 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Instant.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Instant.java
@@ -1272,8 +1272,11 @@ public final class Instant
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param otherInstant  the other instant to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code otherInstant} is before this instant,
+     *          zero if they are equal, or greater than zero if {@code otherInstant} is after this instant
      * @throws NullPointerException if otherInstant is null
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(Instant otherInstant) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDate.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDate.java
index d7a63c20a5d..e4f11274579 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDate.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDate.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2022, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1988,7 +1988,10 @@ public final class LocalDate
      * chronology is also considered, see {@link java.time.chrono.ChronoLocalDate#compareTo}.
      *
      * @param other  the other date to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, or greater than zero if {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override  // override for Javadoc and performance
     public int compareTo(ChronoLocalDate other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDateTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDateTime.java
index 51d88711aba..16cfb3105d9 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDateTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalDateTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1807,7 +1807,10 @@ public final class LocalDateTime
      * chronology is also considered, see {@link ChronoLocalDateTime#compareTo}.
      *
      * @param other  the other date-time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, or greater than zero if  {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override  // override for Javadoc and performance
     public int compareTo(ChronoLocalDateTime<?> other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalTime.java
index 42993d8da7c..299bf3ca071 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/LocalTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1531,7 +1531,10 @@ public final class LocalTime
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, or greater than zero if {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(LocalTime other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/MonthDay.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/MonthDay.java
index a95c7b4ad6f..a8693811faa 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/MonthDay.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/MonthDay.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -675,7 +675,10 @@ public final class MonthDay
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other month-day to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, greater than zero if the {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(MonthDay other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetDateTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetDateTime.java
index e9a3a3ebe03..50de9f41ad1 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetDateTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetDateTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ public final class OffsetDateTime
      *
      * @param datetime1  the first date-time to compare, not null
      * @param datetime2  the other date-time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code datetime2} is before {@code datetime1},
+     *          zero if they are equal, greater than zero if {@code datetime2} is after {@code datetime1}
      */
     private static int compareInstant(OffsetDateTime datetime1, OffsetDateTime datetime2) {
         if (datetime1.getOffset().equals(datetime2.getOffset())) {
@@ -1801,7 +1802,10 @@ public final class OffsetDateTime
      * consistent with {@code equals()}.
      *
      * @param other  the other date-time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is the comparison with the {@code other}'s instant, if they are not equal;
+     *          and if equal to the {@code other}'s instant, the comparison of the {@code other}'s local date-time
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(OffsetDateTime other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetTime.java
index d3c43a0d9dd..c3129473d86 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/OffsetTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1281,7 +1281,11 @@ public final class OffsetTime
      * use {@link ChronoField#NANO_OF_DAY} as a comparator.
      *
      * @param other  the other time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is the comparison of the UTC equivalent {@code other} instant,
+     *          if they are not equal, and if the UTC equivalent {@code other} instant is equal,
+     *          the comparison of the {@code other} local date-time
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(OffsetTime other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Year.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Year.java
index d73560884e1..5c753e80ed1 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Year.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/Year.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2020, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1018,7 +1018,10 @@ public final class Year
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other year to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, or greater than zero if {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(Year other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/YearMonth.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/YearMonth.java
index 90f5d08210c..a11af32f422 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/YearMonth.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/YearMonth.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1122,7 +1122,10 @@ public final class YearMonth
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other year-month to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, greater than zero if the {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(YearMonth other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/ZoneOffset.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/ZoneOffset.java
index 6120898ebda..2050825712a 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/ZoneOffset.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/ZoneOffset.java
@@ -714,7 +714,9 @@ public final class ZoneOffset
      * The comparison is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other date to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code other} totalSeconds
+     *          is less than this totalSeconds, zero if they are equal,
+     *          greater than zero if the {@code other} totalSeconds is greater than this totalSeconds
      * @throws NullPointerException if {@code other} is null
      */
     @Override
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/AbstractChronology.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/AbstractChronology.java
index a663d13a3a6..f7fbaf225ce 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/AbstractChronology.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/AbstractChronology.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2022, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -656,7 +656,9 @@ public abstract class AbstractChronology implements Chronology {
      * Subclasses must compare any additional state that they store.
      *
      * @param other  the other chronology to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other}'s ID string
+     *          is lexicographically before this ID string, zero if they are equal,
+     *          greater than zero if {@code other}'s ID string is lexicographically after this ID string
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(Chronology other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDate.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDate.java
index 9d90ade63da..02fee94012d 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDate.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDate.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -700,7 +700,10 @@ public interface ChronoLocalDate
      * This default implementation performs the comparison defined above.
      *
      * @param other  the other date to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code other} is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, greater than zero if the {@code other} is after
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     default int compareTo(ChronoLocalDate other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDateTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDateTime.java
index ed0da48b688..49ce2628320 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDateTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoLocalDateTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -500,7 +500,11 @@ public interface ChronoLocalDateTime<D extends ChronoLocalDate>
      * This default implementation performs the comparison defined above.
      *
      * @param other  the other date-time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is the comparison of the {@code other} local date-time,
+     *          and the {@code other} chronology, in order, returning the first non-zero result,
+     *          and otherwise returning zero
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     default int compareTo(ChronoLocalDateTime<?> other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoZonedDateTime.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoZonedDateTime.java
index fb65c9d8a7b..4be174377c5 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoZonedDateTime.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/ChronoZonedDateTime.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -569,7 +569,12 @@ public interface ChronoZonedDateTime<D extends ChronoLocalDate>
      * This default implementation performs the comparison defined above.
      *
      * @param other  the other date-time to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is the comparison of the {@code other} instant,
+     *          the {@code other} local date-time, the {@code other} zone ID,
+     *          and the {@code other} chronology, in order, returning the first non-zero result,
+     *          and otherwise returning zero
+     * @see #isBefore
+     * @see #isAfter
      */
     @Override
     default int compareTo(ChronoZonedDateTime<?> other) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/Chronology.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/Chronology.java
index a4915def75a..3aa48643eb8 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/Chronology.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/chrono/Chronology.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2022, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -807,7 +807,11 @@ public interface Chronology extends Comparable<Chronology> {
      * It is "consistent with equals", as defined by {@link Comparable}.
      *
      * @param other  the other chronology to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if {@code other}'s ID string
+     *          is lexicographically before this ID string, greater than zero
+     *          if {@code other}'s ID string is lexicographically greater than this ID string;
+     *          otherwise, if the ID strings are equal, the value is zero unless
+     *          the chronology distinguishes instances using additional information
      */
     @Override
     int compareTo(Chronology other);
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/zone/ZoneOffsetTransition.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/zone/ZoneOffsetTransition.java
index 3119458ec8d..d888776ca38 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/zone/ZoneOffsetTransition.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/time/zone/ZoneOffsetTransition.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2012, 2018, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2012, 2023, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -400,7 +400,8 @@ public final class ZoneOffsetTransition
      * The offsets are ignored, making this order inconsistent with equals.
      *
      * @param transition  the transition to compare to, not null
-     * @return the comparator value, negative if less, positive if greater
+     * @return the comparator value is less than zero if the {@code transition} instant is before,
+     *          zero if they are equal, greater than zero if the {@code transition} instant is after
      */
     @Override
     public int compareTo(ZoneOffsetTransition transition) {