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
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.
But as the 17 minutes of stoppage time wound down, the crowd told a bigger story for a first-year club playing in a league that can’t match the comprehensive skill of the European and top South American leagues. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025 Cialis, Astroglide, texts and summaries As the trial wound down, jurors heard both legal benches reiterate their key arguments. Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 3 July 2025 As Humana winds down operations at its namesake tower in downtown Louisville, the health insurance company is making improvements to its new headquarters. Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 Dohn's other locations off West North Bend Road, Gilbert Avenue and West Fourth Street in Downtown are leased by the school and not a part of the sale, but will close as the rest of the school's operations wind down at the end of June. David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for wind down

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

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Cite this Entry

“Wind down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20down. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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