# bowl out

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bowl-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to end a player's turn in cricket by hitting the wicket with the ball.

For teachers: to dismiss a batsman by delivering a ball that hits the wicket; a transitive phrasal verb specific to the sport of cricket.

## Examples

- The star player was bowled out for zero.
- The fast bowler managed to bowl out the final three batsmen in just one over.
- Despite a resilient opening partnership, the visiting team was eventually bowled out for a modest total before the tea break.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The team was bowl out early." but "The team was bowled out early." — as a regular verb, the past participle 'bowled' must be used in passive constructions.

## Usage notes

- often used in the passive voice when referring to the player or the whole team.
- Teaching tip: this is highly technical sports vocabulary; use it to demonstrate how phrasal verbs can have very specific meanings within professional or cultural niches.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.