bowed 1 of 3

adjective

ˈbau̇d How to pronounce bowed (audio)
Definition of bowednext
1
as in bowing
bending downward or forward the bowed branches of the weeping willow offered some protection from the rain

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2
as in lowered
directed down with bowed heads the mourners recited a prayer for the repose of her soul

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bowed

2 of 3

verb (1)

past tense of bow
1
as in succumbed
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit

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2
as in submitted
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit) bowed to the craving for fresh coffee

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bowed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of bow
1
as in curved
to turn away from a straight line or course the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea

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2
as in arched
to cause to turn away from a straight line you'll have to gently bow the strip of wood in order to fit it in

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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 bowed
Verb
Pod Save America Was Cautiously Optimistic One of the sadder sidenotes of this blue wave was that The Late Show With Stephen Colbert had already bowed before Colbert could do a live show that was 87 percent cackling with glee. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026 Lelio’s most recent film is last year’s The Wave, which bowed at the Cannes Film Festival and hit theaters this summer via Wolfe Video. — Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2026 After the Korean War, Washington reluctantly bowed to European pressure to relax some restrictions. — S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 3 Nov. 2026 Chief Executive Masatoshi Kumagai and other GMO executives bowed deeply repeatedly, as is the custom here, at a news conference in Tokyo. — ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026 Tyler bellowed near the end as Simmons and McDaniels literally bowed down to them. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026 At the opening of the news conference, Lee and seven other top officials bowed in apology. — Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026 John Lee, Hong Kong’s top leader, and other officials bowed in apology at a news conference Thursday. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2026 Disney+, for instance, bowed Olivia on July 1 but Mediterráneo Mediaset España Group handles international distribution. — John Hopewell, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowed
  1. nodding
  2. lowered
  3. succumbed
  4. submitted
  5. curved
  6. arched
  7. weeping
  8. downward
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    — Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Definition of nodding
Adjective
  • Still, market analysts from the likes of JP Morgan and the Royal Bank of Canada said the lowered guidance and especially for operating profit could be considered a problem by Frasers Group.
    — Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • There are predetermined dates for lowered flags each year, and the governor’s office announces any additional dates necessary.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of lowered
Verb
  • Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where the boy succumbed to injuries sustained in the collisions.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • After clinging to life for three days at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn following the vicious Friday night attack, Suarez, 28, finally succumbed to her injuries Monday, her family said.
    — Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of succumbed
Verb
  • Hours later, Choudri submitted his resignation, effective immediately, citing personal and family priorities.
    — Julie Watts, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Police Chief Zach Eaton said the case would be submitted to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office after the investigation is complete.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of submitted
Verb
  • Where the Duo has curved edges and a distinct D-like appearance, the Z Fold 8 is strictly rectangular with sharp edges all around.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s central plaza, which spreads out beneath the building’s curved, hovering form, was always meant to be a generous civic space.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of curved
Verb
  • The work consists of a transparent female figure, sculpted with her back arched in a bridge position and filled halfway with water.
    — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But try to go back the other way, the doorway is rectangular rather than arched.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of arched
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Adjective
  • The solid results bucked a downward trend for tech giants this quarter, as companies including Alphabet, Amazon and Intel had disappointing quarterly results.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • That downward trend line has been going since the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes halted production in 2023, but has not yet recovered as studios have kept pulling back content spend and cutting episode orders for TV shows.
    — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of downward

Browse Nearby Words

bowdlerizing
bowed
bowed out
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Cite this Entry

“Bowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowed. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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