as in losing
to undergo defeat
quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
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Recent Examples of bowing out
The band remained steadfast in the commitment despite many other acts bowing out.
—
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2026
McCaffrey was relied upon more than ever as the San Francisco powered through a litany of injuries to top players to finish the season 12-5, beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round before bowing out in the divisional round.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
But drummer/vibraphonist Chuck Redd — who has played at this three-day event at the Del Mar Hilton for nearly 20 consecutive years — is the first to make headlines around the world for bowing out of a performance.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
The North Carolina native appeared to reference bowing out of a potential feud with Kendrick Lamar and the backlash from it re-energizing him creatively, which led to a second disc for The Fall-Off and the aforementioned album cover.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
The Traitors has cemented its status as the biggest draw on British television, bowing out with a record audience for a non-celebrity version of the BBC show.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2026
Selecting a location like the Hamptons in peak season might mean some guests will need to pay a high premium to attend a full wedding weekend and may end up bowing out of the festivities.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
This begs the question as to whether Wrexham might actually be better served bowing out in the fourth round, even if defeat at home to Ipswich on February 14 wouldn’t exactly be ideal preparation for the following weekend when the two teams meet again in the league.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Whatever the scenario, bowing out graciously (whether as the host or the guest) can ensure the visit ends on a positive note.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 8 Feb. 2026
McCaffrey was relied upon more than ever as the San Francisco powered through a litany of injuries to top players to finish the season 12-5, beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round before bowing out in the divisional round.
—Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
But drummer/vibraphonist Chuck Redd — who has played at this three-day event at the Del Mar Hilton for nearly 20 consecutive years — is the first to make headlines around the world for bowing out of a performance.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
The North Carolina native appeared to reference bowing out of a potential feud with Kendrick Lamar and the backlash from it re-energizing him creatively, which led to a second disc for The Fall-Off and the aforementioned album cover.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Jan. 2026
The Traitors has cemented its status as the biggest draw on British television, bowing out with a record audience for a non-celebrity version of the BBC show.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2026
Selecting a location like the Hamptons in peak season might mean some guests will need to pay a high premium to attend a full wedding weekend and may end up bowing out of the festivities.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 20 Jan. 2026
This begs the question as to whether Wrexham might actually be better served bowing out in the fourth round, even if defeat at home to Ipswich on February 14 wouldn’t exactly be ideal preparation for the following weekend when the two teams meet again in the league.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Whatever the scenario, bowing out graciously (whether as the host or the guest) can ensure the visit ends on a positive note.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowing out
Verb
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At 70 years old, Mahesh Chamadia had almost given up on the idea of losing weight.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Bell-Johnson is known as One Leg and uses a prosthetic limb after losing his leg as a child in a train accident.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated February 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The 83-year-old senator has had multiple health issues over the past few years, including publicly freezing during a press conference in 2023 and falling ahead of a Senate vote in October 2025.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
4 Feb. 2026
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Among the videos, prosecutors wrote, is one that shows the bullet hitting Kirk, blood coming from his neck and Kirk falling from his chair.—
Matthew Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The announcement by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday came after hours of indications that the anticipated talks were faltering over changes in the format and content of the talks.—
JON GAMBRELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Tesla reported its first-ever decline in annual revenue, with sales faltering across three of the past four quarters.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bowing out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowing%20out. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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