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

The conversation winds down with a discussion about producer confidentiality, how the music business has changed, his favorite producers and the records that shaped him. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026

The past year and a half has seen numerous galleries close entirely or wind down their operations in other cities both in the US and Europe. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

As the day winds down, get cozy in the living room for a game of cards and a glass of South African wine, or watch the sun set from the stone terrace. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026

All3Media International has since been wound down as a brand and Banijay Rights will be shopping Maya in France this year. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 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