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.
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends bowed out at the nearly full Friedman (97%), the best attendance for the show in weeks. Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 July 2025 Five months later, in March 2025, it was confirmed that Coulier was cancer-free. 07 of 09 Andrea Barber as Kimmy Gibbler After Full House wrapped, Barber bowed out of the acting world. Diana Pearl, People.com, 23 May 2025 Cleveland, the top seed in the East, bowed out in Round 2 against Indiana after a slew of Cavs were dealing with health issues. Tim Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025 Elsewhere, Jamie Vardy bowed out of Leicester City in the only way Jamie Vardy could. Phil Hay, New York Times, 19 May 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 13 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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