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

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.
After fielding a roster that struggled with injuries and went 37-45 before bowing out in the play-in tournament, the Warriors have committed to bringing back almost the exact same team as last season. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 While England breezily dismissed Senegal 3-0 in its fourth match of the tournament, Morocco eliminated Portugal in the quarterfinals before bowing out 2-0 to eventual runnersup France in the semis. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 30 June 2026 Trump’s speech worked as a replacement for a series of musical artists who were scheduled to perform at the fair but bowed out over concerns the event had become partisan. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026 Felipe Cardenas Haiti bow out in style When the 48-team field was confirmed for this World Cup, Haiti was one of the nations considered inferior to the tournament’s standards. Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 26 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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