unwind

verb

un·​wind ˌən-ˈwīnd 

unwound ˌən-ˈwau̇nd  ; unwinding; unwinds

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to uncoil : wind off : unroll

b

: to free from or as if from a binding or wrapping

c

: to release from tension : relax

2

archaic : to trace to the end

… unwinding the labyrinth and bringing the hero out …

—Laurence Sterne

3

: to undo (a financial arrangement or position) through the necessary legal or financial steps

… unwound most of its natural gas hedges …

—The New York Times

intransitive verb

1

: to become uncoiled or disentangled : unfold

2

: to become released from tension

take a bath to unwind

Synonyms of unwind

• relax

Examples of unwind in a Sentence

She unwound some thread from the spool.

The fishing line unwound quickly.

I wanted to unwind after a hard day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Things began to unwind last December, when purchases made during her brand’s annual Hanifa Friday sale in November failed to ship, thanks to production delays and supply chain issues. — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026

Abandoning an idea can mean unwinding hundreds of interconnected decisions across disciplines, teams and production schedules. — Ben Feder, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026

My favorite spot to unwind was at Vilah, a bright café and coworking space on the 10th floor with a rotating Thai art exhibition. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026

When the election went the other way, investors rushed to unwind those positions. — Stephanie Link, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for unwind

• aligned
• alined
• assigned
• behind
• combined
• confined
• consigned
• crosswind
• declined
• defined
• designed
• divined

Kids Definition

unwind

verb

un·​wind ˌən-ˈwīnd 

ˈən-

unwound -ˈwau̇nd  ; unwinding

1

a

: to cause to uncoil : wind off

b

: to become uncoiled or untangled

2

: to make or become free of tension : relax

wanted to unwind after a hard day