bow out

verb

bowed out; bowing out; bows out
Synonyms of bow outnext

intransitive verb

: retire, withdraw
also : lose
bowed out in the first round of the tournament

Synonyms of bow out

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Examples of bow out in a Sentence

quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Keller went 10-1-1 in 1993, with a tie against Abilene Cooper (39-39) in Week 3, before bowing out in the second round of the playoffs. — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026 The show will have a new host (Trevor Noah bowed out after six years) and will air/stream on new network platforms — ABC, Disney+ and Hulu — after the show ended a 54-year run on CBS. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026 Charleson received rave reviews, but died just seven weeks after bowing out. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 But Paramount eventually upped its offer to buy all of Warner for $31 per share, and Netflix opted to bow out of the race. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bow out

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bow out was in 1942

Rhymes for bow out

See All Rhymes for bow out

Browse Nearby Words

bow on
bow out
bow pen
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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