verb
unwind
uhn-WYND
verb
1
To relax and let go of stress after a busy or tense period.
"She likes to unwind with a book after work."
"We spent the weekend unwinding at the coast."
2
To undo something that has been wound or twisted, or to reverse a complicated arrangement.
"The technician had to unwind the tangled cable."
"The bank slowly unwound its risky investment position."
How to Use Unwind
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither to relax after stress, or to undo/reverse something that was wound up or complicated.
Common pairings
unwind after work
unwind a position
unwind a deal
Word Forms
unwound past tense, unwinds plural, unwinds singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “unwind”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She likes to _____ with a book after work.
Etymology
From Old English unwindan, from un- (\"reversal\") plus wind (\"to coil\").