as in relaxing
to get rid of nervous tension or anxiety
not being one for alcoholic beverages, I prefer to wind down with a cup of tea every night
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Recent Examples of winding down
Cena will be at his second event as the host since winding down his in-ring career.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
What’s obvious but goes unsaid is that with a new husband and thoughts of starting a family, Mary’s performing days were winding down.
—John Ficarra, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Tame Impala is winding down a spring European tour this month before kicking off a huge North American run July 6-7 in Miami.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 May 2026
The internal Department of Homeland Security office that oversees detention facilities and conditions is winding down its operations — even as the administration places more people in detention, and for longer stints.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 7 May 2026
Spirit Airlines halted all flights Saturday morning and began winding down its global operations after a last-minute federal bailout deal failed.
—Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Spirit began winding down operations early Saturday morning after talks between the airline and the federal government over a $500 million rescue deal stalled.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Stanford has begun winding down the program and is no longer accepting new participants, Luisa Rapport, Stanford University’s director of media relations, said Wednesday after the announcement of the investigation.
—Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
After winding down the Catalog, Brand spent the ensuing decades looking for this kind of shortcut.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
What’s obvious but goes unsaid is that with a new husband and thoughts of starting a family, Mary’s performing days were winding down.
—John Ficarra, Washington Post, 8 May 2026
Tame Impala is winding down a spring European tour this month before kicking off a huge North American run July 6-7 in Miami.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 May 2026
The internal Department of Homeland Security office that oversees detention facilities and conditions is winding down its operations — even as the administration places more people in detention, and for longer stints.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 7 May 2026
Spirit Airlines halted all flights Saturday morning and began winding down its global operations after a last-minute federal bailout deal failed.
—Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Spirit began winding down operations early Saturday morning after talks between the airline and the federal government over a $500 million rescue deal stalled.
—Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 2 May 2026
Stanford has begun winding down the program and is no longer accepting new participants, Luisa Rapport, Stanford University’s director of media relations, said Wednesday after the announcement of the investigation.
—Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
After winding down the Catalog, Brand spent the ensuing decades looking for this kind of shortcut.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winding down
Verb
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The Hollywood star enjoyed her birthday week spending time with family, friends and Ramirez, as well as enjoying a relaxing spa visit.—
Sarah Sotoodeh,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
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Think open hiking trails, relaxing inns at a more attainable value, and cool mornings with warm afternoons.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
After the ceasefire, oil prices plunged and bond yields fell, loosening up some of the cost crunch for consumers and businesses alike.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Dulude suggests loosening up the food particles on the microwave walls by placing a bowl of water inside with half a lemon and using a high setting to boil the water.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What had seemed like a good way of chilling out was actually plunging me into a kind of crisis.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
If holiday burnout has you in the mood for rest and relaxation, the star advises taking a break to enjoy one of her favorite holiday traditions—chilling out at home with the family.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winding down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winding%20down. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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