wind down

wind down — phrasal verb

  • wind downbase form
  • winds down3rd person singular
  • winding down-ing form
  • wound downpast simple

1. to relax your mind and body once a stretch of work, stress, intense concentratio

1.phrasal verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to relax your mind and body once a stretch of work, stress, intense concentration, or busy activity is over — for example, watching television after a long day at the office, or chatting with friends after a tense sports match.

Example

Tuan finished his evening shift and wound down by watching a documentary before bed.

wind down by + gerund phrase

Abigail needs about twenty minutes to wind down after she finishes teaching her last class.

wind down after + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • wind down after work
  • wind down by reading
  • wind down from stress
  • need to wind down
  • try to wind down
Synonyms
  • unwind

    essentially the same meaning; 'unwind' may suggest releasing tension while 'wind down' suggests lowering energy levels

  • decompress

    more formal; suggests recovering from high-pressure situations

  • chill out

    very informal slang; mainly used in casual spoken English

  • loosen up

    informal; about becoming less physically or mentally tense

Antonyms
  • get worked up

    to become increasingly stressed or excited instead of calming down

Grammar Patterns

wind down (after/before/from/by + noun / gerund)

Usage Note

The subject is always a person. 'Wind down' and 'unwind' are often interchangeable, though 'wind down' emphasises a gradual transition from high energy to calm. Commonly followed by 'after' (the source of tiredness), 'by' (the relaxing activity), or 'from' (the cause of stress).

Common Mistakes

I wound down my children.
The children finally wound down after playing outside for hours.
'wind down' is intransitive; you cannot directly wind down another person.
I wound down the music.
I wound down by listening to music.
the object of winding down is yourself, not an external activity.
I wound down myself.
I wound down by taking a hot bath.
you describe the method of relaxing, not the direct object.

2. to gradually lose energy, speed, or intensity until stopping completely — used f

2.phrasal verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to gradually lose energy, speed, or intensity until stopping completely — used for machines with moving parts, social events, time periods, or any process that naturally runs out of momentum instead of halting abruptly.

Example

The old wall clock in the hallway wound down during the night and stopped at exactly 3:17.

subject: clock / machine winding down

The wedding reception wound down around midnight when the band packed up their instruments.

subject: social event winding down

Common collocations
  • clock winding down
  • year winding down
  • party wound down
  • conference winding down
  • feel something winding down
Synonyms
  • run down

    specifically about batteries or clocks losing power; more physical than 'wind down'

  • slow down

    about reduction in speed only, without the implication of a complete stop

  • taper off

    emphasises the gradual reduction in intensity more than the ending itself

  • peter out

    informal; about events or enthusiasm gradually disappearing

Antonyms
  • speed up

    to increase speed or intensity instead of slowing

  • pick up

    to gain energy or momentum

  • get underway

    to begin or start a process or event

Grammar Patterns

wind down (subject: machine, event, time period, process)

Usage Note

Used for things with moving parts (clocks, fans, engines), social events (parties, festivals, conferences), and time periods (year, semester, holiday, week). Not used for a sudden, abrupt stop — the winding down must be gradual. Less formal than 'draw to a close' but more formal than 'wrap up'.

Common Mistakes

The car wound down when it hit the tree.
The engine wound down after I turned off the ignition.
'wind down' describes a gradual process, not a sudden halt.
The day wound down at 5 PM.
The workday wound down as people left the office.
'wind down' focuses on the gradual process, not the exact time it ends.

3. to reduce the size, scope, or intensity of something step by step, aiming to sto

3.phrasal verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to reduce the size, scope, or intensity of something step by step, aiming to stop it completely — used for business operations, organised activities, personal routines, or medical treatments that a person or organisation gradually winds down rather than ending abruptly.

Example

The publishing house wound down its print magazine division after subscriptions fell for five straight years.

wind down + [business division / operations]

The local council wound down the summer youth programme once the funding ran out.

wind down + [programme / activity]

Common collocations
  • wind down operations
  • wind down a business
  • wind down a programme
  • wind down intake
  • wind down medication
  • wind down freelance work
Synonyms
  • phase out

    very similar; suggests replacing something gradually rather than simply ending it

  • taper off

    specifically suggests a slow, controlled reduction often used for medication or habits

  • scale back

    about reducing the size or scope of something without necessarily ending it

  • close down

    more final and often abrupt; less emphasis on the gradual aspect

Antonyms
  • ramp up

    to gradually increase the amount or intensity of something

  • build up

    to steadily increase the level or capacity of something

  • expand

    to grow or extend a business or activity

Grammar Patterns

wind down + [noun phrase: a business / operations / a programme / an intake / medication]

Usage Note

The subject is usually an organisation or person in charge. The object is an ongoing process (business, programme, project, habit, intake, dosage), not a physical object. Unlike 'close down', the winding down is always gradual and planned. This sense covers both formal organisational contexts and informal personal routines.

Common Mistakes

The company wound down the building.
The company wound down its operations at the building.
the object must be an activity, not a physical location.
They wound down the party suddenly.
They wound down the event over the final hour.
implies a gradual, planned process, not a sudden end.
I wound down my coffee.
I wound down my coffee intake over two weeks.
the object must be an ongoing process or abstract activity, not a physical substance.

4. to open a car window by operating a manual crank or an electric switch, letting

4.phrasal verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to open a car window by operating a manual crank or an electric switch, letting air inside or allowing you to talk to someone outside.

Example

Kasia wound down her window and asked the petrol station attendant for directions to the motorway.

wind down + possessive + window

Erik wound down both back windows so the dog could stick its head out in the fresh air.

Common collocations
  • wind down the window
  • wind down the passenger window
  • wind down all the windows
Synonyms
  • roll down

    more common in American English; used for the same action with car windows

  • open (the window)

    general term; does not specify the mechanical action of winding

Antonyms
  • wind up

    to raise a car window by turning the handle or pressing the button

  • roll up

    American English equivalent of 'wind up'

Grammar Patterns

wind down + [the window / the passenger window / all the windows]

Usage Note

Only used for car windows, not for house windows or sliding doors. 'Roll down' is more common in American English for this same meaning.

Common Mistakes

She wound down the kitchen window to let in some air.
She wound down the car window to let in some air.
only used for vehicle windows.
He wound down the window of the train.
He wound down the taxi window.
only used for cars and similar road vehicles with manual or electric windows.

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/1

All four expressions describe moving from a state of tension or activity to a calmer state, but they differ in register and scope. 'Wind down' (the phrasal verb) and 'unwind' are the most common and neutral — both work in conversation and informal writing, though 'wind down' emphasises a gradual decrease in energy while 'unwind' suggests releasing mental tension like a coiled spring. 'Decompress' is more formal and specific: it compares the body to a pressure chamber, so it best suits contexts involving high-pressure work or stress ('after the court case, the lawyer needed time to decompress'). 'Chill out' is the most informal and casual, suitable only among friends ('chill out, the exam is over'). In writing, prefer 'wind down' or 'unwind'; in speech with close friends, 'chill out' is natural. Example: 'After the conference, the speakers wound down with drinks at the hotel bar, while the younger attendees went to a club to chill out.'

unwind ↗decompress ↗chill out ↗wind down ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

The phrasal verb 'wind down' comes from the physical action of winding a spring mechanism, such as in a clock or music box. When you wind a device in the opposite direction — down — it gradually releases its stored energy and slows to a stop. By the early 19th century, English speakers had extended this mechanical image to any process that gradually loses momentum: a party winding down, a business winding down its operations, or a person winding down after a busy day.

First known use

1944

1944, in the meaning defined at transitive sense