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
Much of his focus has been on cost cutting, which has improved Intel’s outlook to return to profitability but raised concerns the chipmaker may be bowing out of the race for technological leadership.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
Two external masonry walls showed signs of stress and fatigue and are bowed out, Poplar said, so the area was cordoned off as a collapse zone.
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Try to keep your torso upright and don't allow the knees to collapse inward or bow out.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 19 Aug. 2025
Rewind to March and a painful defeat against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final, ending a punishing week that included bowing out of the Champions League to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2025
Two external masonry walls showed signs of stress and fatigue and are bowed out, Poplar said, so the area was cordoned off as a collapse zone.
—Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Try to keep your torso upright and don't allow the knees to collapse inward or bow out.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 19 Aug. 2025
Rewind to March and a painful defeat against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final, ending a punishing week that included bowing out of the Champions League to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
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Ayman Soliman, a former hospital chaplain, has been detained by immigration authorities since July after losing his asylum status.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Sep. 2025
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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