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

But their products may wind up being harder to control. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026

Besson takes real liberties with Stoker’s original saga too, hinting at a purposeful attempt to reframe Dracula as a sly romantic hero that winds up looking like just another ineffectual vampire movie instead. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Feb. 2026

Noun

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

Buy a couple of in-line, windup timers. —Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 8 Aug. 2025