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.
Edmonton bowed out in the first round. David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026 Sinner was initially slated to play with Emma Raducanu, but bowed out after retiring in the Cincinnati final. Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026 Despite this, there is something alluring about the notion of Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo all bowing out at their final World Cup together. Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 13 June 2026 Luther Campbell, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Dale Holness, and Elijah Manley had discussed one or two of them bowing out of the race but could not decide who that should be by the filing deadline. Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 12 June 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 20 Jun. 2026.

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