bow 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈbau̇ How to pronounce bow (audio)
Definition of bownext
1
as in to succumb
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to submit
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit) bowed to the craving for fresh coffee

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bow

2 of 3

verb (2)

ˈbō How to pronounce bow (audio)
1
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bend
to cause to turn away from a straight line you'll have to gently bow the strip of wood in order to fit it in

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bow

3 of 3

noun

ˈbō How to pronounce bow (audio)
as in bend
something that curves or is curved her full lips form a pair of perfect bows

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bow
Verb
At Davos in January, Carney urged middle powers to band together rather than bow to great powers. — Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026 The pale blue creation featured a dainty lemon pattern, V-neckline, bow sleeves, and matching shawl. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
Finally patrolman Williams, during a smooth sea, rushed down the beach and with a hand-line swung a line over her bow. — CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 The singer, who is going mononomously as Miley for this era, bows in the top spot with 61,000 equivalent album units. — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow
  1. succumb
  2. submit
  3. curve
  4. bend
  5. curvature
  6. concede
  7. surrender
  8. arch
Verb
  • But rather than succumbing to any one style, Lam developed a unique voice shaped by surrealism, cubism and his heritage as the son of a Chinese immigrant father and a mixed-race mother.
    — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Now life was like that; some days fine and firm and full of whatever, while other days the hoarse bark of the neighbors’ dog or a friend’s grim diagnosis and her body succumbed to an emotional gravity that pulled her into a free fall.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of succumb
Verb
  • The county urged the Supreme Court to reject the administration's appeal, while the state of Texas submitted its own brief defending the database.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The controversial budget maneuver occurs when a president submits a request to Congress to block funding so close to the end of the fiscal year that the funds can expire before Congress receives the full 45-day consideration period under the law.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of submit
Verb
  • That’s apt because the technological stroke that’s allowed Jamestown to revive One Times Square’s interiors is the evolution of digital screens that can slink along curving walls and respond to touch.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s central plaza, which spreads out beneath the building’s curved, hovering form, was always meant to be a generous civic space.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • Step around, and potentially inside, awe-inspiring vehicles from the film, or come face-to-face with the Bene Gesserit, a group of priestesses who possess, among other things, the ability to bend the will of others.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • For the flexibility assessment, the app guides you through various movements, such as raising your arms and bending your legs.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of bend
Noun
  • An ant living deep inside the snow globe can’t easily detect any curvature, and therefore can’t tell the difference between anti-de Sitter and de Sitter space.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026
  • And if the footprint looks like a full foot with no dry spots in the middle and no inward curvature, the diagnosis is usually flat feet.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of curvature
Verb
  • It was conceded that the catalogue of brews outmatched the finite power of the liver.
    — Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Lamont concedes that the measure represents one aspect of the overall healthcare situation.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of concede
Verb
  • Rather than surrender its ability to consider alumni and donor connections, Stanford withdrew from those programs and replaced the money from its multi-billion-dollar endowment.
    — Jayson Weingarten, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Eric Clark, 45, surrendered to police on Friday and is charged with murder.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of surrender
Verb
  • By midday Friday, attention turned to the peninsula, where the hurricane was slated to arch back and hit between Monday and Tuesday.
    — Eugene Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • This is the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland, complete with turrets, arched windows and red stone walls.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of arch

Phrases Containing bow

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bovine
bow
bowdlerization
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Cite this Entry

“Bow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bow

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bow

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