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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wind up
Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Along the way Texas needs to hope Seattle slips up, or else that final weekend in Cleveland could wind up being meaningless.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 5 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Verb
The actors costarred in 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a comedy that follows a former couple who coincidentally wind up staying at the same resort in Hawaii not long after their breakup.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Along the way Texas needs to hope Seattle slips up, or else that final weekend in Cleveland could wind up being meaningless.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
So there was a full windup leading to this week’s announcement.
—Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 5 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for wind up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wind up
Verb
-
The deal, amended by Thailand's cabinet last month, ends a long period of uncertainty since work on the project began as far back as 2017.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
At the May meeting, the council voted 4-0 to end treatment.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nothing better than putting down the top and driving beautiful roads just after the rain stops and the air is powerfully charged by the nearby ocean, scrubbed clean.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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In fact, water levels at Lake Powell, one of the main water storage reservoirs for the Colorado River Basin, could fall low enough to stop hydropower generation at the reservoir by December 2026, according to the NOAA report.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The moment carried extra weight because this wasn’t just a season ending.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
But this time, quarterback Conner Harrell took command, helping coach Tim Albin earn his first win as the 49ers’ head coach, rewriting an ending that felt all too familiar for 15,681 Charlotte fans in attendance.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After recording the second out of the inning, the right-hander was unable to finish the frame.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Both judges advised Elaine to finish her movements completely.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The expiring boost, implemented in Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act under former President Joe Biden, applies to 22 million of the 24 million low- and middle-income Americans with plans through the ACA marketplace.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 2025
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Republicans have proposed several short-term funding options running from November to January, but Democrats want Republicans to negotiate with them, especially on extending expiring health care subsidies.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The show's return comes after fans were demanding new episodes following the conclusion of Season 1.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
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The press, however—fearing backlash to its positive depiction of interracial romance—rewrote the conclusion without Grey’s knowledge or consent, killing off Nophaie and the offending prospect of miscegenation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Amazon Prime Video’s six-part thriller concluded with an ending that cannonballed into new territory and paddled swiftly away from the ending of Michelle Frances’ 2017 novel of the same name.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Trump was right again in concluding that the Federal Reserve has been too late in responding to the deterioration of the job market.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Without any of the three, money once again ceases to circulate.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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After that, production would temporarily cease with operations idling until October 2025 in order to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year.—
Jackie Charniga,
Freep.com,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wind up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wind%20up. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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