bow out

verb

bowed out; bowing out; bows out

intransitive verb

: retire, withdraw
also : lose
bowed out in the first round of the tournament

Examples of bow out in a Sentence

quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Behold the golden-orange horizon over Kitt Peak National Observatory, a fiery twilight moment where day bows out and the stars prepare their grand entrance. Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 31 Oct. 2025 After she was sent to the hospital during the show's dress rehearsal, Braxton was forced to bow out of the competition in 2015 due to blood clots in her lungs. Diana Pearl, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025 In the end, the age of supersonic passenger travel never materialized, with only 12 Concordes and two Tupolev Tu-144s entering regular passenger service, and the Tupolevs bowing out early after a string of technical issues. David Szondy october 28, New Atlas, 28 Oct. 2025 The 26-year-old Indiana Fever guard was given less than 24 hours to prepare for the three-point contest after Clark was forced to bow out due to a lingering injury. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bow out

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bow out was in 1942

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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