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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stop
to come to an end
her speeches usually wind up with one last joke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wind up
Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
MacLeod inevitably winds up facing off against the Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a sadistic and otherwise nameless warrior who has been hunting other immortals for centuries.
—Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
As Brown started his windup, AppleTV+ put a chyron on the screen showing the odds Soto would homer in that at-bat: a 3% chance.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Verb
Mimoun, who works in digital security, said his group eventually merged with other demonstrators and wound up bottlenecked by LAPD near the intersection of Temple and Alameda streets, where a stalemate with LAPD officers ensued.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
MacLeod inevitably winds up facing off against the Kurgan (Clancy Brown), a sadistic and otherwise nameless warrior who has been hunting other immortals for centuries.
—Michileen Martin, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
Noun
That loaded the bases, brought in Logan Gillaspie and brought up No.9 hitter Carson Kelly, who lined out to shortstop — but not before Gillaspie stopped in the middle of his windup, the umpires conferred for a full three minutes and charged him with a balk, bringing in a run.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
As Brown started his windup, AppleTV+ put a chyron on the screen showing the odds Soto would homer in that at-bat: a 3% chance.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wind up
Verb
-
Last month, the Supreme Court allowed the administration to end the work permits and deportation protections of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans TPS recipients.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
-
Despite stocks dipping slightly after President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. would end all trade talks with Canada, the S&P 500 recovered to close at a record high -- 6,173.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called the National Guard to stop the students from entering the school, sparking the Little Rock Crisis.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025
-
Back in 2020, Dr. Ryan Watkins was disciplined over a 2016 incident in which a 54-year-old man’s heart stopped after Watkins put him under anesthesia during a dental procedure.—
Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2025
Noun
-
This ending brought a sense of closure to Marge, who is now in heaven with Beatles member Ringo Starr.—
Carson Blackwelder,
People.com,
25 June 2025
-
Haliburton, by virtue of his framed quote, thinks about new endings often.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Burns finished last season with 461 shot attempts, ninth most among NHL defencemen and 158 more than the top Leaf (Morgan Rielly).—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
-
Morant finished his sixth season in Memphis averaging 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists over 50 games.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
Messi left at the end of that season, his contract allowed to expire, while Neymar also departed.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
But that’s because in the TCJA, many of the tax benefits for individuals were set to expire at the end of 2025, while the corporate tax breaks were largely permanent.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
That said, this bit felt like a very important emotional conclusion, that real change had finally been achieved between these two characters.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
23 June 2025
-
What is a totalitarian leader other than an individualist taking that creed to its cruel conclusions, erasing the uniqueness of every other person into mere characters in a drama?—
Ed Simon
June 23,
Literary Hub,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
What’s next: The Royals conclude their weekend series against the Padres on Sunday afternoon.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
22 June 2025
-
In the study, scientists concluded further adaptation and the potential expansion of cropland may be needed to ensure food security and mitigate climate impacts.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
21 June 2025
Verb
-
Seven of the health facilities that Save the Children had supported in the region have fully closed, and 20 more have partly ceased operations.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 June 2025
-
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself is thought to be operating from an underground bunker and has ceased communicating electronically, delaying his ability to guide the rest of the regime’s leaders.—
Dana Stroul,
Foreign Affairs,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wind up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wind%20up. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share