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.
Norcross, the buyer who bid on the Gramercy studio, decided to bow out instead of upping her offer. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 7 Apr. 2025 The appearance marks the first sighting of Ford since the Shrinking actor bowed out of hosting the 97th Academy Awards due to illness. Jen Juneau, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025 Sandra Bullock's 2000 laugher Miss Congeniality, Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe's The Nice Guys, and Nicolas Cage's The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent are all bowing out, too, by month's end. Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 29 Mar. 2025 Raised beds that are more than 6 feet long or 1 foot deep are more likely to bow out at the sides when filled with soil. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Mar. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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