bow out

as in to lose
to undergo defeat quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bow out In an Instagram reel posted on her page (also shared by YouTube page My Husband is My Best Friend), the Basketball Wives LA star is sipping wine and engaging in tourist behavior like exploring monumental cathedrals with the Sacramento Kings coach before summer 2025 bows out. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 2 Sep. 2025 Indeed, Greenberg quickly bowed out of the arrangement. David Amsden, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
  • Many journalists don’t want to lose access and are subject to coercion and intimidation that can influence their reporting.
    Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • One side will win, and one side will lose.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • New residential property prices fell year-on-year during August in 65 out of 70 cities surveyed by the NBS, data also showed.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Penske’s complaint argues that practice isn’t a fair exchange and has caused significant financial harm, with the company’s affiliate revenue falling by more than a third (as a result of Google’s AI Overviews co-opting traffic that might have otherwise gone to Penske outlets).
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!