1
as in to end
to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point
try to wind up the performance, as we're almost out of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to come to an end
her speeches usually wind up with one last joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ending
the last part of a process or action
wait until the windup of your sales pitch before giving up any information about the product's price point
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 wind up
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Darius Acuff could wind up leading the NBA in scoring.
—
Gary Bedore
june 18,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Gary Phillips,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
Football fans needed time to accommodate themselves to Patrick Mahomes’s sidearm throws, as did the baseball fans who at first recoiled from Hideo Nomo’s tornado windup.
—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Verb
Josh Metellus, a natural safety, has wound up as more of a hybrid linebacker in recent years as another example of putting the talent on the field first and then sorting out the positions second.
—
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Darius Acuff could wind up leading the NBA in scoring.
—
Gary Bedore
june 18,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2026
Noun
The one-inning, 10-pitch affair against the Red Sox also featured strong command and Cole’s new, over-the-head windup.
—
Gary Phillips,
Hartford Courant,
23 Mar. 2026
Football fans needed time to accommodate themselves to Patrick Mahomes’s sidearm throws, as did the baseball fans who at first recoiled from Hideo Nomo’s tornado windup.
—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wind up
Verb
-
Kylee and Aven left Bachelor in Paradise in a relationship but without an engagement, though their romance ended shortly after the season finale aired.
-
The dismissal of the arson charge does not end the criminal case against Hobby.
Verb
-
Chisholm scored on Jose Caballero's RBI groundout in the fourth inning before hitting a two-run homer in the sixth as New York ended a three-game losing streak and stopped Detroit's four-game winning streak.
-
Disneyland officials said a cast member immediately stopped the ride.
Noun
-
Pugh-Banks secured three individual gold medals, claiming gold in the all-around final and on the vault and floor exercise, the latter ending in a tie.
-
Other than Bonnie having a new bestie and Buzz and Jessie getting married, the status quo is essentially unchanged, in contrast to the way the last two installments shook things up in a massive way with their endings.
Verb
-
The Charlotte City Council voted to select Harrington to finish out the term of Mayor Vi Lyles, which ends in December 2027.
-
Each team will need to finish either in its group’s top two or rank in the top eight third-place teams to advance to the round of 32.
Verb
-
Picking the right spots will become as important as ever, especially as more legacy contracts expire.
-
The California Children’s Education and Health Care Protection Act of 2026 would indefinitely extend an existing tax on couples who make above $680,000 and individuals who make above $340,000 that’s currently set to expire in 2030.
Noun
-
By the time the season reaches its conclusion, Lestat is still larger than life.
-
At the same time, progressive and labor groups that often find themselves at odds with the Chamber are avoiding jumping to conclusions, saying the move speaks more to the group’s quest for relevance than Becerra’s politics.
Verb
-
Police say the investigation is active and more details will be released once it is concluded.
-
The excavation, which began in September of last year and will conclude in July, uncovered a public bathhouse, residential blocks, luxury townhouses, streets, and a tower dating back nearly 2,000 years.
Verb
-
As of Monday evening, no formal announcement had been made regarding when the facility would cease operations or when the demobilization process would be completed.
-
Haiti ceased making payments in 1947.
Cite this Entry
“Wind up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wind%20up. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
