as in losing
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 bowing out
Star quarterback Josh Allen is in the middle of his prime, and Buffalo can’t afford to waste any more of his best seasons bowing out of the playoffs at or before the AFC Championship game.
—
Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
After bowing out in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 65-55 loss to Illinois, denying the Cougars a shot at a return trip to the Final Four, UH’s roster will look noticeably different for the 2026-27 season.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
The Musketeers took out Texas in the First Four before bowing out against Illinois in the first round.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 16 Mar. 2026
Richard Branson’s company is the only one left helping wealthy tourists explore the outer reaches of our atmosphere via suborbital flight—with its only competitor bowing out recently, with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin announcing in January it would be stopped its space tourism endeavors.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
Not so fast, Hollywood Advertisement But Netflix's bowing out does not indicate a straightforward path for the deal to push through.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Two Charlotte restaurants are bowing out of the city’s dining scene.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
Two weeks after bowing out in the quarterfinal to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, the American head coach announced plans to depart at the end of 2025.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Investors are bowing out of high-growth technology stocks due to concerns about artificial intelligence’s impact on traditional enterprise software and mounting capital expenditures by mega-cap companies to build out their own AI offerings.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
After bowing out in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a 65-55 loss to Illinois, denying the Cougars a shot at a return trip to the Final Four, UH’s roster will look noticeably different for the 2026-27 season.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 28 Mar. 2026
The Musketeers took out Texas in the First Four before bowing out against Illinois in the first round.
—Cedric Golden, Austin American Statesman, 16 Mar. 2026
Richard Branson’s company is the only one left helping wealthy tourists explore the outer reaches of our atmosphere via suborbital flight—with its only competitor bowing out recently, with Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin announcing in January it would be stopped its space tourism endeavors.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026
Not so fast, Hollywood Advertisement But Netflix's bowing out does not indicate a straightforward path for the deal to push through.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Two Charlotte restaurants are bowing out of the city’s dining scene.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
Two weeks after bowing out in the quarterfinal to Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, the American head coach announced plans to depart at the end of 2025.
—Josh Gross, Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
Investors are bowing out of high-growth technology stocks due to concerns about artificial intelligence’s impact on traditional enterprise software and mounting capital expenditures by mega-cap companies to build out their own AI offerings.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowing out
Verb
-
But adding regular walking helps signal the body to maintain lean tissue while losing fat.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
And the league nearly got five teams there, with Michigan State losing a tight contest with UConn on Friday night.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
All of this comes at a time when the market has greater appetite for larger scale deals, despite Lauder’s falling stock price.—
Kathryn Hopkins,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Now, as the conflict has shown signs of widening to other countries, including Lebanon and Bahrain, traditional safe-haven assets are showing signs of faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bowing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowing%20out. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
