diff --git a/src/wp-includes/comment-template.php b/src/wp-includes/comment-template.php
index b9b4cae49d..e2bdaf60ce 100644
--- a/src/wp-includes/comment-template.php
+++ b/src/wp-includes/comment-template.php
@@ -830,12 +830,13 @@ function comments_link( $deprecated = '', $deprecated_2 = '' ) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Retrieve the amount of comments a post has.
+ * Retrieves the amount of comments a post has.
  *
  * @since 1.5.0
  *
- * @param int|WP_Post $post_id Optional. Post ID or WP_Post object. Default is global $post.
- * @return int The number of comments a post has.
+ * @param int|WP_Post $post_id Optional. Post ID or WP_Post object. Default is the global `$post`.
+ * @return string|int If the post exists, a numeric string representing the number of comments
+ *                    the post has, otherwise 0.
  */
 function get_comments_number( $post_id = 0 ) {
 	$post = get_post( $post_id );
@@ -852,8 +853,8 @@ function get_comments_number( $post_id = 0 ) {
 	 *
 	 * @since 1.5.0
 	 *
-	 * @param int $count   Number of comments a post has.
-	 * @param int $post_id Post ID.
+	 * @param string|int $count   A string representing the number of comments a post has, otherwise 0.
+	 * @param int        $post_id Post ID.
 	 */
 	return apply_filters( 'get_comments_number', $count, $post_id );
 }