as in fell
to undergo defeat
quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
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Recent Examples of bowed out
Since then, Americans have bowed out in the Round of 16 twice, failed to advance out of the group stage once and infamously missed the World Cup entirely in 2018.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026
If this were a pure power ranking, Mississippi State might be in the top five, but this is about the matchup, and the Bulldogs have to visit Georgia, which was probably the best team in the tournament even before UCLA and Georgia Tech bowed out.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Shortly after that debate, Biden bowed out of the presidential race.
—Scott Detrow, NPR, 2 June 2026
In fairness, two of the best Eastern Conference teams bowed out in the postseason before the Knicks got the chance to face them.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
The Wild bowed out of the playoffs with a 4-1 series loss to the Avalanche that to some felt closer.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026
Eventually, Caruso bowed out of both contests and Bass wound up, instead, with an opponent from the left, City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
But eventually, Paramount offered more money and Netflix abruptly bowed out of the race rather than prolonging the fight.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
But eventually, Paramount offered more money and Netflix abruptly bowed out of the race rather than prolonging the fight.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026
If this were a pure power ranking, Mississippi State might be in the top five, but this is about the matchup, and the Bulldogs have to visit Georgia, which was probably the best team in the tournament even before UCLA and Georgia Tech bowed out.
—Mitch Light, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Shortly after that debate, Biden bowed out of the presidential race.
—Scott Detrow, NPR, 2 June 2026
In fairness, two of the best Eastern Conference teams bowed out in the postseason before the Knicks got the chance to face them.
—Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 1 June 2026
The Wild bowed out of the playoffs with a 4-1 series loss to the Avalanche that to some felt closer.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 May 2026
Eventually, Caruso bowed out of both contests and Bass wound up, instead, with an opponent from the left, City Councilmember Nithya Raman.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
But eventually, Paramount offered more money and Netflix abruptly bowed out of the race rather than prolonging the fight.
—Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
But eventually, Paramount offered more money and Netflix abruptly bowed out of the race rather than prolonging the fight.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowed out
Verb
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Piccotto effectively plays the regret of a mother forced to reckon with the loss of a child, the horror of engaging with that child again, while also grappling with her own role as a mother felled by the scourge of addiction.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
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In a Western Conference Final where a few other key Colorado Avalanche players are already playing through injuries, the NHL’s leading goal scorer this season was felled trying to prevent someone else from scoring.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
25 May 2026
Verb
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An entire swath of Nuggets fans was lost forever.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
But the Rockets lost a player to a penalty late in the game, and Hanifin scooped up a loose ball in front of goalkeeper Addyson Mathews and scored to restore the two-goal lead.—
Matt Goisman,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Every neighborhood has its own part in the story too, as the nightlife nexus has migrated up and down Manhattan, shimmied across the East River and back, and transformed, faltered, and thrived again over the past six decades.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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They had just been swept by the Miami Marlins at home as the bullpen faltered and the offense failed to come through with runners in scoring position.—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bowed out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowed%20out. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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