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

• relax
• chill out [slang]

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

More than 21 Republican states and attorneys general have joined the DeSantis administration’s efforts to keep the lights on at Alligator Alcatraz after a district judge ordered the state to wind down operations and stopped new detainees from being held at the detention facility. —Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025

Many of those same institutions have also wound down long-standing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. —Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Now, as the offseason winds down, the Knicks find themselves with three open standard roster spots, and some intriguing free agents still available. —Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Sep. 2025

As the summer winds down and days begin growing shorter, there's no better time to curl up with a good book—and this September, the shelves are stacked with fresh stories worth diving into. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Rhymes for wind down

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