bow out

verb

bowed out; bowing out; bows out
Synonyms of bow outnext

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.
Video from the scene shows a pile of concrete rubble in a stairwell, with bowed out walls on the side of the well. Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026 In 2023, before a sublime run to the title, UConn went 14-8 in the Big East and bowed out to Marquette in the conference semifinals. Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026 Star quarterback Josh Allen is in the middle of his prime, and Buffalo can’t afford to waste any more of his best seasons bowing out of the playoffs at or before the AFC Championship game. Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 After bowing out in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 65-55 loss to Illinois, denying the Cougars a shot at a return trip to the Final Four, UH’s roster will look noticeably different for the 2026-27 season. Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026 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 14 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster