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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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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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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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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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
The film continues a strong bond between two-time Oscar winner Pitt and Paramount, with their survival thriller Heart of the Beast bowing next weekend. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 18 Sep. 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 As with most festivals, the majority of the movies bowing in Venice don’t deal directly with politics. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 28 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 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Tuesday, bowing to pressure after the removal of popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sparked the fiercest leadership crisis of his presidency. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 21 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
  • At the time, despite receiving rave reviews, the Scottish actor was succumbing to complications from AIDS.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • But rather than succumbing to any one style, Lam developed a unique voice shaped by surrealism, cubism and his heritage as the son of a Chinese immigrant father and a mixed-race mother.
    — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of succumbing
Verb
  • The loneliness epidemic For young workers, the loneliness epidemic has meant building a career without face-to-face interactions, submitting resumes online blindly and typing up cover letters for nameless recruiters.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Now, Carter is submitting a new appeal after Jane Doe fully recanted her claims last week.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of submitting
Verb
  • That’s apt because the technological stroke that’s allowed Jamestown to revive One Times Square’s interiors is the evolution of digital screens that can slink along curving walls and respond to touch.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The unintended effect of low-density construction, restrictive zoning, and curving roads is a staggering increase in the distance between destinations.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of curving
Verb
  • Laura, though, moved away rather than toward, bending to fit the angle of the rafters, searching for the cool shadow at her back.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • For the flexibility assessment, the app guides you through various movements, such as raising your arms and bending your legs.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 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 administration’s top economic officials are now conceding that favorable aggregate indicators are no easy answer to public anxiety.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The home team secures the victory when Phil Mickelson knocks one in the water at the par-3 16th hole, conceding his match to Francesco Molinari right on the tee box.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of conceding
Verb
  • Terracotta tiles are at his feet; behind him is a gnarled pine tree, arching toward the sea.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Its initial trajectory after stage separation will put the spacecraft on the same course as previous flights, arching toward a reentry and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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