bow 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈbau̇ How to pronounce bow (audio)
Definition of bownext
1
as in to succumb
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to submit
to give up and cease resistance (as to a liking, temptation, or habit) bowed to the craving for fresh coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bow

2 of 3

verb (2)

ˈbō How to pronounce bow (audio)
1
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to bend
to cause to turn away from a straight line you'll have to gently bow the strip of wood in order to fit it in

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bow

3 of 3

noun

ˈbō How to pronounce bow (audio)
as in bend
something that curves or is curved her full lips form a pair of perfect bows

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bow
Verb
Curry joined the cast when the show bowed in Chicago in 2004, and his three-year stint also included a stop in London. — Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 Campaign watch People bow their heads in prayer during a rally for Republican nominee for governor Rick Jackson at The Bibb Mill Event Center in Columbus on Thursday. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
Hickey surrendered three guns, a bow, blinds, decoys, 115 pounds of turkey meat and 47 turkey fans. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026 The move comes as Byrne prepares for the Toronto International Film Festival bow of The Julia Set, which stars One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti, along with Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bow
  1. succumb
  2. submit
  3. curve
  4. bend
  5. curvature
  6. concede
  7. surrender
  8. arch
Verb
  • The Liberty’s deficit stayed in double figures while succumbing to the pressure of Golden State’s small lineups.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Wolf succumbs to Shura, a demonic force in the game’s mythology that possesses those who give in to bloodlust.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of succumb
Verb
  • However, the action may not end at 11pm — deal sheets allow clubs to conclude signings two hours after the transfer window closes, provided the correct paperwork is submitted before the deadline.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • By Thursday evening, more than 60 people had been taken by ICE in Danbury, according to CT Students for a Dream, which tracks arrests based on video footage submitted by rapid response teams.
    — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of submit
Verb
  • But plenty of long-range computer models continue to show a future for the system, most as a tropical storm headed west toward the Caribbean, although plenty also show a potential track that curves north of Puerto Rico.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Several other curved, slender bones were soon found nearby, according to pictures shared with the station.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of curve
Verb
  • This outer layer absorbs physical stress directly, protecting the delicate internal materials from bending or cracking under load.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Booze, black pepper, and leather accords give the note a sultry, noir bend, while white musks and soft florals transform vanilla into something comforting and cocooning.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of bend
Noun
  • This theory predicted that the light from distant stars appearing very close to the sun's edge should shift due to the curvature of space.
    — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Samsung 32-inch Essential S3 sets a strong benchmark for budget big-screen value by pairing an immersive 1800R curvature with smooth 100-hertz refresh performance.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of curvature
Verb
  • Lawyers for the government had conceded that designating Anthropic as a supply chain risk didn't prevent companies from using the AI technology for other purposes.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Dickson himself concedes there is still much work to be done to fully rehabilitate the Gap, as well as its sister brands.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of concede
Verb
  • There were surrendered leads against Chelsea in the 2008-09 FA Cup final and, perhaps more galling, against a weaker-than-usual Liverpool side in a 2011-12 FA Cup semi-final.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Goss voluntarily relinquished his Missouri law license and surrendered his right to practice law in Kansas.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of surrender
Verb
  • In the opposite direction, open the elbows wide, arching the back and lifting the chin to the sky.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Engineers maintained extremely gentle gradients across long distances while using tunnels, channels, and arched bridges to cross uneven terrain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of arch

Phrases Containing bow

Browse Nearby Words

bovine
bow
bowdlerization
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bow. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on bow

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All