bow out

/ baʊ /

verb

1. adverb; usually troften foll byof to retire or withdraw gracefully

Idioms and Phrases

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

Both players were in tears as Federer bowed out of the game.

From BBC

She bowed out before any primary votes were cast, avoiding an embarrassing loss in her home state.

From Los Angeles Times

Speaking to political news outlet Politico, Harris aides also laid the blame at Biden’s feet and said he should have bowed out sooner.

From BBC

But the 81-year-old president stubbornly refused to acknowledge his physical and cognitive decline and didn’t bow out of the race until it was too late for the party to conduct a healthy replacement process.

From Los Angeles Times

He bows out as one of the most successful and popular drivers on the circuit and the golden boy of Australian motorsport.

From BBC

Related Words

• bail out
• drop out
• pull out
• quit
• retire
• withdraw