Bow down means: To submit to another; to acknowledge one's inferiority to another.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
bow down
(intransitive, slang, AAVE) To submit to another; to acknowledge one's inferiority to another.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
"Bow Down To Your Queen!~ 🔥Bowsette 🔥Muse is 34 🔥Not new to RP 🔥New to character 🔥All Art posted belongs to their rightful owners♡ 🔥NSFW/SFW 🔥18+
View source
BlueskyMay 2026
When Trump said no more Wars he meant to say everyone would bow down to him and he would never have to end a war so they didn't think that far ahead. Trump's legacy hinges on an issue he has no interest in paying att…
View source
BlueskyMay 2026
Reform appeal to the type of Scot who bow down to their English masters and refer to themselves as British rather than Scottish. Rangers fans.
View source
BlueskyMay 2026
Bow down youtu.be/v7qisJ_KuYI?...
View source
BlueskyMay 2026
I have made a phone call. Bow down to my greatness.
View source
Definitions
US
#1·Apr 26, 2026US
(intransitive, slang, AAVE) To submit to another; to acknowledge one's inferiority to another.
See it in action
“I have made a phone call. Bow down to my greatness.”
You better bow down to my skills.
For parents
Bow down means: To submit to another; to acknowledge one's inferiority to another.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
bow down means: To submit to another; to acknowledge one's inferiority to another.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: general
Heard in the wild
“"Bow Down To Your Queen!~ 🔥Bowsette 🔥Muse is 34 🔥Not new to RP 🔥New to character 🔥All Art posted belongs to their rightful owners♡ 🔥NSFW/SFW 🔥18+”
— Bluesky· May 2026“When Trump said no more Wars he meant to say everyone would bow down to him and he would never have to end a war so they didn't think that far ahead. Trump's legacy hinges on an issue he has no interest in paying attention to: biographer www.rawstory.com/trump-iran-2...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Reform appeal to the type of Scot who bow down to their English masters and refer to themselves as British rather than Scottish. Rangers fans.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Bow down youtu.be/v7qisJ_KuYI?...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I have made a phone call. Bow down to my greatness.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?
Comments
US
#2·Apr 26, 2026US
(intransitive, idiomatic) To bow, to bend oneself as a gesture of deference or respect.
See it in action
“Every decision by this admin is designed to take away individual rights and force people to bow down and follow Dear Leader.”
“Why not? The pedo regime has blatantly violated pretty much any part of the constitution it feels like it. IMO, the current regime is more likely to come for everyone’s guns unless you agree to bow down. All the blues ever wanted with sensible gun control.”
Shepard: The rest of the galaxy isn't just going to bow down just because we tell them to. We'll need the fleets to bring them in line.
Heard in the wild
“Why not? The pedo regime has blatantly violated pretty much any part of the constitution it feels like it. IMO, the current regime is more likely to come for everyone’s guns unless you agree to bow down. All the blues ever wanted with sensible gun control.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Every decision by this admin is designed to take away individual rights and force people to bow down and follow Dear Leader.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“It’s insane. She doesn’t bow down to the white mediocre grievance based male. They are all bothered by that .”
— Bluesky· May 2026“This is awful. I hope Smith rips apart the DoE. I am a proud alumna of Mount Holyoke College (just down the road from Smith) and proudly support transgender women at our schools. The Seven Sisters will not bow down to this fascist administration.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Pretty sure the pope isn't scared of the antichrist, uh I mean Trump. Trump seems to think because the current pope is American by birth that he ought to bow down and worship King Trump? Blasphemy.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
US
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "bow down".
🎤About Black culture & AAVE slang
Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.
See all Black culture & AAVE slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "bow down" (B)
Browse all slang words starting with B.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- buck down74%
(slang, transitive, AAVE, idiomatic) To defeat (someone) in a challenge; to beat up or destroy (someone).
- get down71%
(informal, intransitive) To duck or take cover, usually to avoid harm. Commonly used as a caution or warning in the imperative.
- bone down70%
(slang, US, intransitive, or, transitive, of a man) To have sex with (someone).
- bring down69%
(transitive) To humble.