What does unbowed mean?
Unbowed describes something that has not been bent, but the word is most often used metaphorically of a person, group, or spirit that refuses to yield to pressure, defeat, or intimidation. An unbowed person remains resolute and self-possessed; an unbowed community refuses to be broken by adversity. The adjective can also describe material or natural objects, such as a beam or tree, though that literal sense is less frequent in everyday speech. Unbowed is related to the verb unbow, meaning to bend or bow, and appears in formal and literary prose as well as in descriptions of resistance and moral strength. Its force lies in the contrast it creates: bending suggests submission or vulnerability, while remaining unbowed conveys endurance without necessarily implying aggression or unwillingness to compromise. In modern usage, the figurative sense is much more prominent than the physical one.
Not bent or bowed; unwilling to yield to pressure, intimidation, defeat, or adverse circumstances.
"The young minister remained unbowed in the face of criticism."
The figurative sense is dominant and is especially associated with formal or literary prose.
To bend or cause to bend; bow, especially one's head.
"The wind unbowed the young reeds."
Relatively uncommon and somewhat literary; it may be transitive or intransitive.
To remain unbowed is to refuse to let pressure bend your resolve—even when the pressure does exactly that.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unbowed come from?
Unbowed was formed in English by adding the negating prefix un- to bow. The verb bow descends from Old English bōgan, meaning “to bend,” and the related Old English noun bōg also referred to a bend or bow. Its figurative sense, expressing resistance to pressure or defeat, follows the conventional use of physical bending as a metaphor for submission or collapse.
Related word forms
How unbowed is actually used
The adjective is especially common in formal and literary writing, where it conveys endurance, moral strength, or refusal to submit. Its figurative use is much more frequent than its literal use.
Easily confused with unbowed
Unbowed means not bent or yielding to pressure, whereas unbound means released from a tie, obligation, or restriction.