as in nodding
bending downward or forward
the bowing blossoms indicated that the petunia plant desperately needed water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in succumbing
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control)
finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in submitting
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit)
bowed to the craving for fresh coffee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course
the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bending
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of bowing
Padgett Powell,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
China and Japan are part of the offshore suite opening Friday, with France and Belgium bowing next weekend.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
Set to debut in October, the Seville ‘Luminiscence’ marks the third city in Spain to host the global immersive phenomenon, after bowing in San Sebastián at its Buen Pastor Cathedral and in Barcelona, where a total 115,000 people have attended over 500 performances in a first season run.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
22 June 2026
His coworker once spotted a fan on their knees, bowing toward the entrance gate near the property.
—
Leah Willingham,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
Even the King's children follow suit, and Prince William has been seen bowing his head to say hello to his father and stepmother.
—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
According to reporting by The New York Times, protesters accuse Kenyan officials of bowing to Trump at the expense of allowing a deadly virus into the country, accepting Americans that America itself refuses to take in.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
The boat slid downstream, the water creating a lane lined with lily pads and gently bowing water grass.
—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.
—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Verb
An adventure bowing to higher authority, raising yourself above nothing and no one.
—
Padgett Powell,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
China and Japan are part of the offshore suite opening Friday, with France and Belgium bowing next weekend.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
26 June 2026
Set to debut in October, the Seville ‘Luminiscence’ marks the third city in Spain to host the global immersive phenomenon, after bowing in San Sebastián at its Buen Pastor Cathedral and in Barcelona, where a total 115,000 people have attended over 500 performances in a first season run.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
22 June 2026
His coworker once spotted a fan on their knees, bowing toward the entrance gate near the property.
—
Leah Willingham,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
Even the King's children follow suit, and Prince William has been seen bowing his head to say hello to his father and stepmother.
—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
According to reporting by The New York Times, protesters accuse Kenyan officials of bowing to Trump at the expense of allowing a deadly virus into the country, accepting Americans that America itself refuses to take in.
—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
The boat slid downstream, the water creating a lane lined with lily pads and gently bowing water grass.
—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Trae Young won Madison Square Garden’s undying enmity in the 2021 playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks, punctuating game-breaking shots by shushing the crowd or bowing to the fans and waving goodbye.
—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowing
Adjective
-
James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
Verb
-
The work was not about identity, as is so often argued, but transcended identity without succumbing to the empty promises of globalization.
-
Supergirl killing Krem without much buildup, or hesitation, despite her advice to Ruthye, could have been framed as the heroine succumbing to her impulses, or accepting some dark truth about her own nature.
Verb
-
The team plans to test the device further with other F-35 units at Luke before submitting the design to the Air Force’s global system.
-
In a separate case, Oren David Shachar of Van Nuys, Abraham Shin of Corona and Jeannie Choi of Torrance are accused of participating in a healthcare fraud scheme involving submitting false claims for medically unnecessary hospice care services.
Verb
-
The tracks where the train derailed are on a curving section of a bridge over the Grand Calumet River.
-
The innovative Panoramic Display consists of a 48-inch screen curving from door to door along the base of the windshield.
Verb
-
What made jazz so distinct was the freedom embedded into its structure, with musicians improvising, trading solos and bending notes together.
-
The play started with LAFC teammate Jacob Shaffelburg bending a cross into the middle of the box, where South African center back Ime Okon tried to head to clear.
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
Verb
-
Japan was the first nonhost country to qualify for the 2026 tournament, scoring 54 goals and conceding only 3 across two Asian rounds.
-
The president’s intense desire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has taken priority over longer-term concerns, conceding the initiative to Iran by his unwillingness to act.
Verb
-
Pay Attention to Plant Form Plants come in a wide range of shapes, from arching to columnar to spreading.
-
Lower back discomfort or tightness might be due to arching of your back, or your back muscles tacking on too much of the work to overcompensate for a lack of hip strength or control.
Cite this Entry
“Bowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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