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
Other sellers are experimenting with price increases, cutting back on advertising or gradually importing merchandise to avoid drastic financial impacts of tariffs, instead of bowing out of Prime Day completely.
—
Arriana McLymore and Greg Bensinger, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
The Canadiens joined the above losers, falling 4-1 to the Capitals to bow out in five games, too.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Vegas, which bowed out in the first round a year ago after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, got a first-period goal from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo but has been frustrated by Minnesota’s defense for the last 120 minutes.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2025
There are 133 cardinals who are under 80 years old and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks.
—Colleen Barry and Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Arriana McLymore and Greg Bensinger, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
The Canadiens joined the above losers, falling 4-1 to the Capitals to bow out in five games, too.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Vegas, which bowed out in the first round a year ago after winning the Stanley Cup in 2023, got a first-period goal from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo but has been frustrated by Minnesota’s defense for the last 120 minutes.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2025
There are 133 cardinals who are under 80 years old and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks.
—Colleen Barry and Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bow out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow out
Verb
-
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
-
Again the water spray obscured what happened there just before the twister lost its power.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2025
Verb
-
Without employer pensions or consistent guidance, more of the retirement burden falls squarely on individuals.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 May 2025
-
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 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share