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
Matt Gaetz, who was named as Trump's next Attorney General, bowed out last month after lawmakers on both sides of aisle raised concerns making his Senate confirmation more difficult.
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Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
After Biden bowed out, VP Kamala Harris almost immediately became the presumptive nominee.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
The barb would elicit responses from both Drake and J. Cole, with J. Cole bowing out early, leaving the rhyme war focused squarely on Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 21 Nov. 2024
The last time a presidential candidate could not attend the dinner was in 1984, when Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale bowed out.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bow out 
Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
After Biden bowed out, VP Kamala Harris almost immediately became the presumptive nominee.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
The barb would elicit responses from both Drake and J. Cole, with J. Cole bowing out early, leaving the rhyme war focused squarely on Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 21 Nov. 2024
The last time a presidential candidate could not attend the dinner was in 1984, when Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale bowed out.
—Ivan Pereira, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bow out
Thesaurus Entries Near bow out
Cite this Entry
“Bow out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow%20out. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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