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.
Another factor was a business partner’s decision to bow out after being involved for five years. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025 The team made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 and bowed out of the postseason in the divisional round last year. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025 In an Instagram reel posted on her page (also shared by YouTube page My Husband is My Best Friend), the Basketball Wives LA star is sipping wine and engaging in tourist behavior like exploring monumental cathedrals with the Sacramento Kings coach before summer 2025 bows out. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 2 Sep. 2025 Indeed, Greenberg quickly bowed out of the arrangement. David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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