bow out

verb

bowed out; bowing out; bows out

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.
In fact, Spielberg was given several opportunities to bow out, which would have ended with Jaws never being made, as opposed to a different director stepping in. Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025 This will be the first time these teams have met competitively, with Benfica out to improve after bowing out of last season's tournament in the last 16. Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 That’s right, Foundation season three bows out with a shot at Earth itself and two robots living on the moon. Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2025 Despite a litany of injuries, the Texas Rangers refuse to bow out of the playoff hunt. Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Sep. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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