Synonyms of wind up

wind up 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to end

to bring (an event) to a natural or appropriate stopping point

try to wind up the performance, as we're almost out of time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• end
• finish
• conclude
• round (off or out)
• ring down the curtain (on)
• wrap up
• complete
• close
• put paid to
• close out
• crown
• terminate
• perfect
• climax
• suspend
• consummate
• stop
• halt

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• begin
• start
• open
• commence
• inaugurate

2

as in to stop

to come to an end

her speeches usually wind up with one last joke

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stop
• end
• expire
• cease
• conclude
• halt
• pass
• finish
• leave off
• die
• break off
• terminate
• go
• close
• break up
• wink (out)
• determine
• lapse
• elapse
• bite the dust
• stall
• discontinue
• let up
• quit
• refrain (from)
• pack (up or in)
• lay off (of)
• dead-end
• cut out
• desist (from)
• wind down
• break down
• give over
• knock off
• stay
• suspend
• pause
• conk (out)
• peter (out)
• abate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continue
• hang on
• persist
• draw out
• extend
• prolong
• protract

windup

2 of 2

noun

ˈwīnd-ˌəp 

as in ending

the last part of a process or action

wait until the windup of your sales pitch before giving up any information about the product's price point

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ending
• conclusion
• end
• finale
• closing
• culmination
• climax
• capper
• close
• homestretch
• finish
• endgame
• grand finale
• finis
• mop-up
• consummation
• wrap-up
• crescendo
• pinnacle
• zenith
• apex
• peak
• coda
• summit
• capstone
• high-water mark
• top
• meridian
• acme
• aftermath
• tip-top
• anticlimax
• crown
• epilogue
• postscript
• tail end
• copestone
• coup de grâce
• tag end
• shank

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• beginning
• start
• opening
• baseline
• dawn
• introduction
• day one
• prelude
• overture
• nascence
• nascency
• preface
• preamble
• prologue
• foreword

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wind up

Verb

Watson and Samaniego have never pitched in the big leagues, so the club may wind up relying on a couple of guys trying to make the team as non-roster invitees. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026

Moore, who hadn’t been on a winning team since high school, wound up catching the winning touchdown pass in the Bears’ first playoff victory in 15 years — against the Packers, no less. —Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Noun

That’s certainly not unique to McCarthy’s work, but the windup rabbit toy in Caveat is distinctly unnerving, thanks in large part to its weirdly human eyes. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025

Two and two to Harvey Kuenn, one strike away, Sandy into his windup. —Steve Futterman, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025