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

With no agreement in place, the government will soon begin the arduous process of winding down operations, sending furlough notices, and notifying contractors. —Nik Popli, Time, 1 Oct. 2025

Elsewhere, leisure and hospitality, a key sector for consumer demand, saw a loss of 19,000 as vacation season wound down. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025

The outcome of that vote will determine whether federal operations continue or begin winding down. —Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025

As the year winds down, many leaders shift their focus to holiday campaigns, budget wrap-ups or end-of-year reporting. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 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