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

In the third lawsuit, a federal judge in Miami last summer ordered the facility to wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to do a review of the detention center's environmental impact. —Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026

In the third lawsuit, a federal judge in Miami last summer ordered the facility to wind down operations over two months because officials had failed to do a review of the detention center's environmental impact. —CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026

Davidson for $100 a game In 2000, after Smith had retired and his UNC duties had wound down, Davidson approached Kilgo about calling its basketball games. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2026

Last summer, Kennedy directed the Department of Health and Human Services to wind down and cancel contracts related to mRNA vaccine development. —Sasha Richie, Dallas Morning News, 27 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