bowing 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of bowingnext
as in nodding
bending downward or forward the bowing blossoms indicated that the petunia plant desperately needed water

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bowing

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of bow
1
as in succumbing
to cease resistance (as to another's arguments, demands, or control) finally bowed to the judge's insistence that she change her outfit

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bowing

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of bow
1
as in curving
to turn away from a straight line or course the river bows gently to the north before it reaches the sea

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bending
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bowing
Verb
For her first collection, bowing for resort, she was inspired by Borgo Filograna and its surrounding landscapes. — Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 The film picked up the Heart of Eurasia Award after bowing in Busan. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026 Also bowing is 20th Century Studios’ feature take on Daniel Kraus survival thriller novel Whalefall, with $11M-$12m domestic in 3,000 theaters, and about the same overseas for a $24M WW start on the high end. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026 Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, is set to open the Beyond Fest genre festival in Los Angeles after bowing in Venice. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026 Standing in a holding pen for inmates, wearing orange jail attire, Holdo looked back at Savery almost admiringly, at times bowing his head. — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 Van Os said studies have shown cows respond to current weather conditions by facing away from the direction rain is blowing and bowing their heads. — Lance Schulteis, jsonline.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Dharmendra Pradhan announced his resignation on Saturday, bowing to mounting pressure after tens of thousands of students and supporters took to the streets demanding his removal and sweeping reforms to India’s examination system. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 25 July 2026 Winds gusted up to 80 miles per hour, bowing palm trees and knocking down power lines that sparked the fires. — Angus Chen, STAT, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bowing
  1. nodding
  2. succumbing
  3. submitting
  4. curving
  5. bending
  6. weeping
  7. conceding
  8. arching
Adjective
  • James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, likened our planet’s tilting phenomenon to a nodding head.
    — Aylin Woodward, WSJ, 21 Dec. 2021
Definition of nodding
Verb
  • Short enough to read in a single sitting, Sara Gran’s chilling story of an architect succumbing to demonic possession will leave readers stunned and unsettled.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Making a brief trip to his native Gotham before production of his next movie begins, Matt makes the mistake of succumbing to the advances of a gorgeous young woman on the dance floor of a nightclub.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of succumbing
Verb
  • Vereb, 72, appeared at the Allegheny County Courthouse on Thursday, submitting a guilty plea after being accused of defrauding thousands of pet owners over several years while operating funeral homes in Hazelwood and Harrison Township.
    — Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Malek also faces charges for allegedly submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications in 2021.
    — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of submitting
Verb
  • Layers of pencil have been transformed into plywood in curving and minimalist forms.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The tangle of stubby points stood out like overgrown thumbs, and the down-curving prongs on either side of his head were at least a foot long.
    — Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of curving
Verb
  • Patients reported easier walking, climbing stairs and bending, while overall quality-of-life scores more than doubled over the 12-month follow-up period.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Trump even threatened that election officials could be jailed for not bending to his will.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bending
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Verb
  • The hosts opened a four-goal lead by the 55th minute and held on after conceding in the 77th, 86th and 89th.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Vena said the current task is proving service is strong enough to hold customers trying rail, simultaneously conceding that not all will stay.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of conceding
Verb
  • Video shows the single-engine plane careening into an overpass arching atop the expressway.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • There is an intentional yawning gap in the floor leading to the basement, and nearly half the building is an open void crisscrossed by arching beams.
    — Tim Hornyak, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of arching

Browse Nearby Words

bowie knifes
bowing
bowing out
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Cite this Entry

“Bowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bowing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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