as in to lose
to undergo defeat
quite embarrassingly, the top-seeded player bowed out in the first round of competition
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Recent Examples of bow out
Andy Murray bows out of professional tennis after playing his final game at the event.
—
The Week Uk, theweek, 25 Dec. 2024
Some figured Johnson would exit a year ago after the Lions bowed out in the NFC title game.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
The announcement, first reported by ABC News, makes Pelosi the second major Democratic figure to bow out of the occasion, after former first lady Michelle Obama.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Lamar’s verse blew up online and after J. Cole — whom Lamar also criticized on the track — bowed out, Lamar and Drake went blow for blow.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bow out 
The Week Uk, theweek, 25 Dec. 2024
Some figured Johnson would exit a year ago after the Lions bowed out in the NFC title game.
—Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 19 Jan. 2025
The announcement, first reported by ABC News, makes Pelosi the second major Democratic figure to bow out of the occasion, after former first lady Michelle Obama.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Lamar’s verse blew up online and after J. Cole — whom Lamar also criticized on the track — bowed out, Lamar and Drake went blow for blow.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bow out
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Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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