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

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 These short gaps don't typically lead to a shutdown because agencies don't have enough time to wind down projects before funding kicks in again. USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Currently a strong El Niño, or warming in the Pacific, is winding down. Bloomberg, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 Ski season may be winding down, but the Ikon Pass is already looking ahead to next season with its lowest price and a host of new perks. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 The parade begins Sunday at 1 p.m., winding down West and Main streets to the City Dock, and features marching bands, Irish ensembles, floats and civic groups. Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 After his shifts, Kinlaw typically smokes to wind down. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 The El Niño pattern should wind down in a few months, bringing some respite to the Amazon. Manuela Andreoni, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Lakers LeBron James exits early as Lakers surrender 19-point lead and fall to Kings March 6, 2024 The season is winding down and there’s not much time for the Lakers to make up ground. Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 For just $48, your campsite will literally be the coolest in the park with this Stoic 30-Can Heavy Duty Cooler, and once the party’s over, wind down in the Marmot Catalyst 2-Person Tent, on sale for $160. Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wind down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wind down was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near wind down

Cite this Entry

“Wind down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wind%20down. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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