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
The fallout for the HFPA group included the decision by longtime TV partner NBC to bow out of airing the 2022 Golden Globe Awards ceremony.
—
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 July 2025
Kaylan bowed out after the 2017 tour, following back surgery and two heart procedures.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
In the 2024 presidential election, Trump allies worked to boost third party candidates Jill Stein of the Green Party, Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (before Kennedy bowed out to endorse Trump) to peel off votes from Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 9 July 2025
But there will be players who bow out of next week’s All-Star Game because of injuries or other personal decisions.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 3 July 2025
Kaylan bowed out after the 2017 tour, following back surgery and two heart procedures.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 July 2025
In the 2024 presidential election, Trump allies worked to boost third party candidates Jill Stein of the Green Party, Cornel West and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (before Kennedy bowed out to endorse Trump) to peel off votes from Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 9 July 2025
But there will be players who bow out of next week’s All-Star Game because of injuries or other personal decisions.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
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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.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Aug. 2025
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If the Sojourner Truth museum is forced to shut down, a host of youth engagement programs could also be lost.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But, if wages don’t rise to match those jumps, consumer spending could fall and slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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That rotation has left the market for 1950s and 1960s cars with oversupply and falling prices.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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