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.
Against the backdrop of a debate over Goldin’s show in Germany, the artist previously bowed out of speaking at a symposium on antisemitism, Islamophobia, and the war in Gaza, according to the German press agency dpa. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 22 Nov. 2024 Haley was the last candidate standing against Trump in the GOP primary, which became increasing contentious as the candidates exchanged personal jabs and Haley long refused to bow out of the race. Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024 Then came May 28, when the official announcement hit: Stewart-Haas would bow out at the end of 2024. Greg Engle, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 The president, 81, isn’t on the ballot after bowing out of the race this summer due to pressure from his party. Christian Datoc, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near bow out

Cite this Entry

“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bow%20out. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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