as in fell
to undergo defeat
quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
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Recent Examples of bowed out
Warner board members ultimately concluded that Paramount’s bid topped the one from Netflix and the streamer bowed out.
—
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Coach Mark Few’s Zags bowed out in the second round for the second straight year after reaching the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive tournaments, a run that included two losses in the national title game.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Only one candidate — former Assemblymember Ian Calderon — bowed out as a result of the letter.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Although the Matildas bowed out to England in the semi-finals at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, co-hosting the tournament with New Zealand had a transformative effect on women’s soccer across the country.
—Michael Bailey, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
Shortly before Netflix publicly bowed out, champagne was rolled into the executive suite at Paramount’s Melrose lot.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
The sinkhole didn’t appear to be connected to any public utilities, so the organization bowed out, Krul said.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Savannah Guthrie, who has bowed out of hosting NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage in light of the disappearance, spoke directly to her mother in the video.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Walz bowed out of his reelection race earlier this month.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Coach Mark Few’s Zags bowed out in the second round for the second straight year after reaching the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive tournaments, a run that included two losses in the national title game.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Only one candidate — former Assemblymember Ian Calderon — bowed out as a result of the letter.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026
Although the Matildas bowed out to England in the semi-finals at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, co-hosting the tournament with New Zealand had a transformative effect on women’s soccer across the country.
—Michael Bailey, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026
Shortly before Netflix publicly bowed out, champagne was rolled into the executive suite at Paramount’s Melrose lot.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
The sinkhole didn’t appear to be connected to any public utilities, so the organization bowed out, Krul said.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Savannah Guthrie, who has bowed out of hosting NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage in light of the disappearance, spoke directly to her mother in the video.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Walz bowed out of his reelection race earlier this month.
—Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowed out
Verb
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Floorboards were milled from walnut trees felled at a construction site in North Carolina.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
2 Apr. 2026
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With a hollow interior trunk, Stumpy was among 158 trees felled in 2024 as part of a project aimed at shoring up a sea wall near the National Mall.—
Tim Stelloh,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Elders living alone who can no longer cook or clean, who stopped paying their bills or answering the door, who aren’t taking their meds or bathing themselves, who are lost or don’t remember to turn off a stove might get a visit from an adult protective investigator.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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In 2025, the Lions lost a lot of high scoring games, but with Monroe’s consistent pitching success, the team is more well-rounded with an ability to win close, low scoring bouts.—
Charles Baggarly
April 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The right-hander — a former first-round pick by the Pirates in 2017 — missed out on his first victory with the Orioles since being acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay when Baltimore's defense faltered late.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Efforts to identify a leadership alternative inside Iran have faltered.—
Kazem Kazerounian,
Hartford Courant,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bowed out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowed%20out. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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