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

Despite the White House saying that Operation Metro Surge is winding down, its impacts are still very present, as people stayed home from work out of fear of being detained. —Frankie McLister, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026

Middlebury College, in Vermont, is similarly winding down its graduate programs in Monterey, California. —Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026

Heavy sunflowers weeping over fences; iris curling and browning at the edges far away from their purple hearts; ears of corn letting their auburn hair wind down to their stalks. —Literary Hub, 17 Feb. 2026

As America's Next Top Model was winding down, Banks pivoted to ABC for hosting gigs on America's Got Talent (2017–2018) and Dancing With the Stars (2020). —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 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