1
as in bowing
bending downward or forward
the bowed branches of the weeping willow offered some protection from the rain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in succumbed
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in submitted
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
bowed to the craving for fresh coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curved
to turn away from a straight line or course
the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line
you'll have to gently bow the strip of wood in order to fit it in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bowed
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Instead of your standard dress shoes, Styles finished the look with a perfect pair of minty-green ballet flats with bowed laces.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2026
The building with its bowed windows and a Queen Ann tower had already been around for nine years before its owner placed a classified ad in a July 1897 issue of The Kansas City Times.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Nov. 2025
No racist stereotypes, no demeaning facial expressions, no bowed heads, and no broken bodies from the old Hollywood.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
The composer also added synths to his orchestral score, as well as bowed metal, where a violin bow is rubbed against metal instruments like a cowbell or a Vibraphone, for when Roz has a particularly intense feeling.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 22 Mar. 2026
As the crowd cheered, Briggs said, the chief put two $1 bills in the officer’s pockets then bowed or curtsied.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Florian Zeller’s Bunker Florian Zeller’s Oscar-winning debut feature The Father (2016) premiered at Sundance and his 2022 follow-up The Son bowed in Venice but the third time could be the Cannes charm for the French writer/director.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Richins bowed her head as the verdict was read.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
The mother of three – who published a children’s book on grief after her husband’s death – bowed her head when the guilty verdict was read aloud in court.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Tie-top curtains attach to the rod with fabric ties that are knotted or bowed at the top, giving them a relaxed, decorative look.
—Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Northwestern’s 6-foot-7 forward bowed his head to Collins’ shoulder and remained in the embrace for a long time, even as play on the court resumed for the final seconds of Purdue’s 81-68 win over the Wildcats.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Immediately Elijah bowed his head and started to read the description of the book on the back cover.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
With bowed heads, friends and classmates wrapped their arms around each other.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Instead of your standard dress shoes, Styles finished the look with a perfect pair of minty-green ballet flats with bowed laces.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2026
The building with its bowed windows and a Queen Ann tower had already been around for nine years before its owner placed a classified ad in a July 1897 issue of The Kansas City Times.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Nov. 2025
No racist stereotypes, no demeaning facial expressions, no bowed heads, and no broken bodies from the old Hollywood.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
The composer also added synths to his orchestral score, as well as bowed metal, where a violin bow is rubbed against metal instruments like a cowbell or a Vibraphone, for when Roz has a particularly intense feeling.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
France bowed to $600K at 255 screens during the Spring Fête du Cinema, which lasts from March 22-25.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 22 Mar. 2026
As the crowd cheered, Briggs said, the chief put two $1 bills in the officer’s pockets then bowed or curtsied.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Florian Zeller’s Bunker Florian Zeller’s Oscar-winning debut feature The Father (2016) premiered at Sundance and his 2022 follow-up The Son bowed in Venice but the third time could be the Cannes charm for the French writer/director.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Richins bowed her head as the verdict was read.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
The mother of three – who published a children’s book on grief after her husband’s death – bowed her head when the guilty verdict was read aloud in court.
—Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Tie-top curtains attach to the rod with fabric ties that are knotted or bowed at the top, giving them a relaxed, decorative look.
—Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2026
Northwestern’s 6-foot-7 forward bowed his head to Collins’ shoulder and remained in the embrace for a long time, even as play on the court resumed for the final seconds of Purdue’s 81-68 win over the Wildcats.
—Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Immediately Elijah bowed his head and started to read the description of the book on the back cover.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowed
Adjective
-
Dethleffs had to be particularly creative with the toilet room, walling off a private space separate from the remainder of the open floor plan that fits in below the lowered roof.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Supercharge your multiplier for more winnings and have a better chance at a win with a lowered projection.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.—
Aylin Woodward,
WSJ,
21 Dec. 2021
Adjective
-
In 2024, reading scores for fourth- and eighth-graders continued a downward slide, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.—
Moriah Balingit,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
-
While the punk report was partly due to a nursing strike in California and also perhaps bad weather, there was no way to sugar coat the downward revisions to the previous two months, for a total of 69,000 fewer jobs than originally reported.—
Jill Schlesinger,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Bowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowed. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.
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