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 Stronach would eventually bow out of running the Preakness as well — but with a licensing fee from its nonprofit successor. Baltimore Sun Editorial Board, Baltimore Sun, 21 Mar. 2024 The 23 players who did average 26.3 years of age, making Hayes’ team more than two years younger than the one that bowed out of last summer’s World Cup in the round of 16. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for bow out 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bow out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 6 Jun. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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