Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

bow out

/baʊ aʊt/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.30 in modern English

Syllables: bow out
IPA: /baʊ aʊt/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

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

Example Sentences

"Jane had a long spell as chairman, but bowed out after she had a child."
"Joe Biden Is a Good Man and a Good President. He Must Bow Out of the Race. [title]"
"“Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don’t feel that I have earned that right,” Parton, 76, wrote in a statement posted to social media. “I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out.”"
"After 16 years not just at the heart of Europe but also at the head of the continent’s most prestigious symphony orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle bowed out as the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic this week, in an emotional farewell concert in the German capital."

Inflected Forms

bows out (present, singular) bowing out (participle, present) bowed out (participle, past) bowed out (past)

Synonyms

withdraw chicken out back off pull out back down

Questions

How do you pronounce bow out?: The recorded pronunciation is /baʊ aʊt/.
What does bow out mean?: To resign, or leave, with one's credibility or reputation still intact.

How to pronounce bow out

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “bow out”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/baʊ aʊt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “bow out”.
Repeat and practice — Say “bow out” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.