unbowed

adjective

un·​bowed ˌən-ˈbau̇d 

1

: not bowed down

2

: not subdued

bloodied but unbowed

Examples of unbowed in a Sentence

He was unbowed by failure.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the other side, although bruised and bloodied, Iran could insist on being unbowed, on holding its own with enough of its missiles penetrating the Iron Dome and other Israeli air defense systems to compel Tel Aviv and the United States to seek a ceasefire. —Vali Nasr, Time, 26 June 2025

All of these acts of insurrection reveal a nation unbowed in the face of violent oppression. —Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

Jackie Byers, who helped lead the Black Organizing Project in its bid to abolish the Oakland Unified School District’s police department in the wake of the 2020 protests, is unbowed by the slowing political momentum for police reform. —Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 25 May 2025

Their stories outraged me and are a testament to the unbowed courage and resilience of our country’s original inhabitants. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unbowed

• afterload
• episode
• internode
• microcode
• multimode
• nematode
• nesselrode
• overflowed
• overload
• overrode
• radioed
• torpedoed

Kids Definition

unbowed

adjective

un·​bowed ˌən-ˈbau̇d 

ˈən-

1

: not bowed down

unbowed heads

2

: not conquered

unbowed by failure