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

Synonyms of bow out

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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.
Also complicating matters is that some voters already have cast absentee ballots for Democrats who have bowed out of the race but remain on the ballot. — Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 In 2014, when Democrats bowed out of the Senate race to clear the way for independent entrepreneur Greg Orman, Republican incumbent Pat Roberts won the race by more than 10 percentage points. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026 Her plus-one for the Hollywood Bowl that night had to bow out. — David Allen, Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 A day later, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who had bowed out on July 8, reentered the race. — Scott Bauer, Twin Cities, 29 July 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

Rhymes for bow out

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Browse Nearby Words

bow on
bow out
bow pen
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Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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