as in ending
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1
as in finishing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stopping
to come to an end
her speeches usually wind up with one last joke
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of winding up
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
Bianka could be seen winding up and then throwing an impressive pitch down the plate at Dodgers Stadium to be caught by right fielder Mookie Betts, in a video shared on X by a Los Angeles Lakers fan account.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
The Biden administration took a more restrictive approach toward the export of American AI, primarily through limits on chip sales that sought to prevent the key hardware from winding up in the hands of foreign adversaries such as China.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 30 July 2025
Verb
The water is naturally filtered in the wetlands before winding up back in the reservoirs.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
Bianka could be seen winding up and then throwing an impressive pitch down the plate at Dodgers Stadium to be caught by right fielder Mookie Betts, in a video shared on X by a Los Angeles Lakers fan account.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 9 Aug. 2025
The Biden administration took a more restrictive approach toward the export of American AI, primarily through limits on chip sales that sought to prevent the key hardware from winding up in the hands of foreign adversaries such as China.
—Julia Shapero, The Hill, 30 July 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winding up
Verb
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The Chargers have been without top tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater because of season-ending ankle and knee injuries, respectively, and tried to make do as best as possible.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
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The team labored in home losses to Houston and the Los Angeles Chargers, with Mahomes ultimately suffering a season-ending ACL injury in the fourth quarter of that setback against the Chargers.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Federal judge Julia Kobick in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction stopping the Administration from enforcing the policy against Orr and six other individual plaintiffs in April.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
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Now, a passenger aircraft that can complete make the journey without stopping is in the final stages of construction, Qantas announced on Friday, releasing first images of the plane as it is assembled.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Shough spent three seasons at Oregon and Texas Tech before finishing at Louisville in 2024.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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If schedules clash, suggest a two-step approach, like meeting online first and finishing later.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In September 2025, Politico reported that instead of a complete five-year farm bill, the House and Senate committees on agriculture might take up a series of smaller bills to extend existing programs whose authorizations are expiring.—
Christopher Neubert,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2026
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Any five-plus veteran or player on an expiring deal, no matter how valuable to the team on or off the field, will be considered expendable if the right offer comes along.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The pair have both been criticised for their roles in England losing the Ashes in Australia yet again, with the home side wrapping up the series in a record-equalling 11 days.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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The author is wrapping up her Double O trilogy next year with the novel Hurricane Room — and PEOPLE has an exclusive first excerpt.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The recognition places Atlas among the most notable technology debuts at the annual consumer electronics event, concluding on Friday, and signals growing confidence in humanoid robots moving from demos to real industrial work.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Jacob Bethell, their great batting hope amid the debris of this tour, stood tall at the SCG to compile a sublime unbeaten 142 and extend the hosts’ inconvenience into this concluding fifth Test’s last day.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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That’s because Keats, who died at just 25, was obsessed with the finality of things, with an unavoidable fear of life ceasing to be.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
26 Dec. 2025
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The first step for treating CHS is ceasing marijuana use entirely, Streem said.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
8 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Winding up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winding%20up. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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