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Synonyms

bow out

British  
/ baʊ /

verb

  1. to retire or withdraw gracefully

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
bow out Idioms  

  1. Depart, withdraw, resign, as in After five years as chairman, I felt it was time I bowed out, or We'll have to beat them; they'll never bow out. [First half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Italian Sinner took one hour and 35 minutes to see off spirited Shelton who bowed out of his debut Finals in Turin without a win from his three matches in the Bjorn Borg Group.

From Barron's

Now, at 85, Pelosi is bowing out of elective politics altogether.

From Salon

Padilla’s decision to bow out of the 2026 governor’s race will leave a prominent name out of an already crowded contest with many contenders but not a clear favorite.

From Los Angeles Times

The Reds bowed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, beaten 3-0 at home by Crystal Palace after Slot elected to field a largely youthful and inexperienced team.

From BBC

Blake, however, bowed out and left the show early, like Anna.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.