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
Just look at the recent scrutiny of Michelle Obama, who faced months of rumors and divorce whispers for simply choosing to bow out of certain aspects of public life.
—
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Garcelle Beauvais has officially bowed out of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, punctuating her departure with a dramatic moment that will unfold during the Season 14 reunion episode airing April 15.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
While the change may be unwelcome, there are many options to choose from once Skype bows out.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Steve Soboroff bowed out as L.A.’s fire recovery czar, with some parting shots.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
Garcelle Beauvais has officially bowed out of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, punctuating her departure with a dramatic moment that will unfold during the Season 14 reunion episode airing April 15.
—Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025
While the change may be unwelcome, there are many options to choose from once Skype bows out.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Steve Soboroff bowed out as L.A.’s fire recovery czar, with some parting shots.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
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The Lions were a laughingstock of the NFL and made the playoffs three times from 2000-20, losing in the wild-card round each time.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
10 May 2025
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Again the water spray obscured what happened there just before the twister lost its power.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Without employer pensions or consistent guidance, more of the retirement burden falls squarely on individuals.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
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Bonds fell too, with the 10-year yield rising 3 basis points to 6.38%, though further declines were limited by debt purchases by the monetary authority.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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