wind down

verb

wound down also winded down; winding down; winds down

intransitive verb

1
: to draw gradually toward an end
the party was winding down
2
: relax, unwind
wind down with a good book

transitive verb

: to cause a gradual lessening of usually with the intention of bringing to an end

Examples of wind down in a Sentence

not being one for alcoholic beverages, I prefer to wind down with a cup of tea every night
Recent Examples on the Web A week on from the catastrophic flooding, and as the immediate search for survivors begins to wind down, the citizens of Derna are confronting fresh horrors, from outbreaks of waterborne diseases to landmines displaced by the rains. Celine Alkhaldi, CNN, 19 Sep. 2023 With the season winding down in a tight pennant race, the Cubs and Giants were tied 1-1 in the ninth inning at the Polo Grounds. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2023 But as the session wound down, a deal had failed to materialize. Laurel Rosenhall, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 But even if summer vibes are winding down, the movies and television offerings aren’t still rolling in. James Grebey, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2023 When that campaign wound down, USF athletic director Michael Kelly said the team had a clear directive. Nick Alvarez | Nalvarez@al.com, al, 14 Sep. 2023 This star projector experience has LED nebula lighting perfect for winding down busy minds after an active day. Margaret Drake, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2023 The remaining bonuses paid on July 31 became necessary, then, as Yellow planned for a bankruptcy filing that would be used to repay creditors and wind down, according to the person, who asked not to be named discussing private deliberations. Jonathan Randles, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023 Summer might be winding down, but pretty tinted lip balms and voluminous mascaras are year-round necessities in every makeup bag. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wind down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wind down was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near wind down

Cite this Entry

“Wind down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20down. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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