Phrase guide

bow out

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /baʊ aʊt/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To resign, or leave, with one's credibility or reputation still intact.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Jane had a long spell as chairman, but bowed out after she had a child.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

retire gracefully

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He bowed out when he realized he could no longer handle the demands of the chairmanship

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: withdraw

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: retire

3

verb

Meaning 3

remove oneself from an obligation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chicken out, back off, pull out, back down

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: retire, withdraw

Narrower terms: resile

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese: 退出 (tuìchū) — to resign, or leave
  • Dutch: zich terugtrekken — to resign, or leave
  • Finnish: erota — to resign, or leave
  • Finnish: perääntyä — to resign, or leave
  • Finnish: lähteä — to resign, or leave
  • French: s'incliner — to resign, or leave
  • French: tirer sa révérence — to resign, or leave
  • Polish: wycofywać się — to resign, or leave
  • Polish: wycofać się — to resign, or leave
  • Russian: откла́ниваться (otklánivatʹsja) — to resign, or leave
  • Russian: откла́няться (otklánjatʹsja) — to resign, or leave
  • Sicilian: lassari pèrdiri — to resign, or leave
  • Sicilian: livàricci manu — to resign, or leave