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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bend
something that curves or is curved
her full lips form a pair of perfect bows
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bow
Big Think, 28 Jan. 2026
Phelan grunted as his rod bowed.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026
Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 Jan. 2026
The owner’s suite occupies the forward section of the owner’s deck and incorporates a private lounge area for TV viewing and relaxation, his-and-hers dressing rooms, an office and an elevated breakfast table positioned to take in uninterrupted views over the bow.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bow
Verb
Second, be more willing to bow to others who know better.
—Big Think, 28 Jan. 2026
Phelan grunted as his rod bowed.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026
Noun
The dress featured a ruching detail at the front, which connected at the center of the dress and decorated with two bows at the neckline and at the hem.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 28 Jan. 2026
The owner’s suite occupies the forward section of the owner’s deck and incorporates a private lounge area for TV viewing and relaxation, his-and-hers dressing rooms, an office and an elevated breakfast table positioned to take in uninterrupted views over the bow.
—Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow
Noun
-
It has long been said that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice.—
David Ostendorf,
Time,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The land was a former family vineyard and cherry tree orchard -- an elevated site draped along a bend of high ridges and exposed bluffs that fall toward the water.—
Erik Matuszewski,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These two are among the fastest plant movements in all of botany, involving rapid changes in leaf curvature and cellular pressure.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Sageman-Furnas, Bobenko, and Hoffmann decided to look for a smooth analogue of the rhino whose curvature lines were similarly restricted to living in planes or on spheres.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For leaders who have never led a transaction—or who underestimate what happens after the deal closes—the learning curve is steep, and the margin for error is thin.—
Jennifer J. Fondrevay,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Sidings inverts that curve, bookending the ambient drift of its middle suite with its most towering, brutalist kosmische slabs.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Normal People is a devastating series in the mold of classical Hollywood melodramas, outfitted with a superb cast that elevates the material at every turn.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The complex of industrial structures grew steadily, with several expansions between the turn of the last century and 1955.—
Paula Allen,
San Antonio Express-News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
31 Jan. 2026
-
It all sticks — every Dutch angle, inventively silly camera placement, and enthusiastic heightening of high-noon suspense.—
James Grebey,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On Saturday night and early Sunday, forecasters expect wind and snow that could lead to blizzard conditions before the storm starts to move to sea.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
And a strong gust of wind can often throw a wrench into the whole thing.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Tropical greenery and flora enshroud each walkway, and walls are adorned in bougainvillea arches.—
Molly Barstein,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
-
India, Pakistan's neighbouring arch rival, denied that assertion on Sunday, accusing Islamabad of deflecting attention from its own internal problems.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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