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

Synonyms of wind down

• relax
• chill out

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

Vanderbilt will acquire the California College of the Arts campus in the city’s downtown, as the roughly 120-year-old school winds down its operations by 2027, according to a release. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026

For some, a Pilates practice may be relaxing enough to help wind down after a busy, stressful day. —Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 14 Jan. 2026

The Austin, Texas, native is winding down work on the campaign trail for Blue Moon, directed by his longtime collaborator Richard Linklater and featuring his most transformative performance on screen, as the alcoholic depressive songwriter Lorenz Hart. —David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 13 Jan. 2026

Atwood, who was present during the incident, said the scene turned chaotic as the protest began to wind down and the crowd dwindled. —Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for wind down

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown