wind down

/waɪnd ˈdaʊn/

//waɪnd ˈdaʊn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"wind-down" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“wind down” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To lower by winding, as with a crank or windlass.

Key facts for wind down
PropertyValue
Headwordwind down
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/waɪnd ˈdaʊn/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “wind down” sits in English frequency

wind down falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for wind down is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /waɪnd ˈdaʊn/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for wind down in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest explained by how it's pronounced rather than where it came from. The correct English form is wind down, spelled W-I-N-D- -D-O-W-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To lower by winding, as with a crank or windlass.
  2. 2
    To unwind.
  3. 3
    To shut down slowly (by degrees or in phases).
  4. 4
    To slow, as if coming to an end; to become calmer or less busy.
  5. 5
    To relax; to get rid of stress; to destress.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "wind down"?
"wind down" is spelled W-I-N-D- -D-O-W-N. The IPA pronunciation is /waɪnd ˈdaʊn/.
What does "wind down" mean?
As a verb, "wind down" means: To lower by winding, as with a crank or windlass.
How do you pronounce "wind down"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "wind down" is /waɪnd ˈdaʊn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "wind down" come from?
"wind down" is a English word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “wind down”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is W-I-N-D- -D-O-W-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /waɪnd ˈdaʊn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list