BOWED Synonyms: 142 Similar and Opposite Words

bowed 1 of 3

adjective

ˈbau̇d

Definition of bowed

as in bowing

bending downward or forward the bowed branches of the weeping willow offered some protection from the rain

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightened

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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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 bowed

Verb

The film bowed in the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto Film Festival and will have its Asian premiere at Singapore’s Capitol Theatre. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 Accordingly, The Marriage Market bowed in Germany first, on ProSieben’s streaming platform Joyn. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 The enmity between the sides grew after the Irish players wore black armbands and bowed their heads during the Israeli national anthem before the first match. — ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026 The film, which bowed at Sundance and is written and produced by Naqvi and Bilal Sami, captures in jaw-dropping detail how six schoolboys on their way to school were left suspended roughly 900 feet above a ravine after a cable snapped. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Over the past 15 years, Da Vittorio has expanded to key international cities, from Saint Moritz, which opened in 2012, to Shanghai, which bowed in 2019. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 21 Sep. 2026 Clancy’s father, seated in the second row directly behind his daughter, leaned forward and bowed his head. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026 As taiko accompanied the demonstration, Kawashita bowed, dipped the oversized brush and swept it across the paper in deliberate, fluid movements before completing the work with her signature in red. — Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 When the judge was discussing whether assassination photos could be published by the media, his parents and Erika Kirk bowed their heads, looking solemn. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowed

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

Verb

The researchers will then randomly choose around 1/3 of people who submitted a lone star tick, another 1/3 of people who submitted a black legged tick and 1/3 of people who submitted a positive alpha-gal tick to the laboratory.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026
The county faced no opposition to its bid for the point-in-time count and the regional application, but the city submitted competing bids for the database and matching system.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of submitted

Verb

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
The signature curved heel from the designer’s Larroudé past collections returns, but this time also in a kitten heel iteration.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of curved

Verb

This is the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland, complete with turrets, arched windows and red stone walls.

— Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 17 Sep. 2026
In subsequent images, Sweeney arched her back while laying on a basketball on the ground, slung a wooden baseball bat over one shoulder, and covered her body with a silver hockey stick.

— Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 Sep. 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 biggest downward revisions were for Qatar to -21% (from -6%) and Kuwait to -15% (from -6%).

— Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
During a downward stroke, a valve expands against the chamber walls, forming a seal and acting like a piston to force venom towards the exit.

— Mike McRae October 12, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of downward

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bowed

adjective

verb (1)

verb (2)

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