as in to lose
to undergo defeat
quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
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Recent Examples of bow out
In late February, Ellison’s Paramount Skydance prevailed in a nearly six-month bidding war after Netflix unexpectedly bowed out when the elder Ellison agreed to financially back his son’s $111-billion deal.
—
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
However, after bowing out in the quarterfinals to Inter Miami, LAFC’s third consecutive MLS opponent following Colorado and Columbus, the current edition has delivered a much more flavorful experience.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 13 Apr. 2026
Video from the scene shows a pile of concrete rubble in a stairwell, with bowed out walls on the side of the well.
—Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
In 2023, before a sublime run to the title, UConn went 14-8 in the Big East and bowed out to Marquette in the conference semifinals.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
However, after bowing out in the quarterfinals to Inter Miami, LAFC’s third consecutive MLS opponent following Colorado and Columbus, the current edition has delivered a much more flavorful experience.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 13 Apr. 2026
Video from the scene shows a pile of concrete rubble in a stairwell, with bowed out walls on the side of the well.
—Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
In 2023, before a sublime run to the title, UConn went 14-8 in the Big East and bowed out to Marquette in the conference semifinals.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
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The Celtics lost to Orlando early in the year, but swept the final three meetings between the two teams.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Overcrowding, strong winds and rough seas caused the vessel to lose control and sink, the agencies said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cortisol levels fell for both groups, according to the study.—
Mikayla Bunnell,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
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Put simply, prices must fall still further in these metros for shoppers to cover the monthly nut.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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