unwind
word
Definition
To relax after being stressed or busy; also, to unroll or untwist something that is wound up.
Usage & Nuances
Commonly used informally to talk about relaxing ('I need to unwind after work'). Can also be literal, about untwisting strings, cables, etc. 'Unwind' is not used for relaxing in medical or very formal contexts. 'Unwind' is often followed by 'by' plus a relaxing activity, e.g., 'unwind by reading.'
Spanish: relajarse - desenrollarPortuguese (BR): relaxar - desenrolarPortuguese (PT): relaxar - desenrolarChinese (Simplified): 放松 - 解开Chinese (Traditional): 放鬆 - 解開Hindi: आराम करना - खोलना (जैसे धागा)Arabic: الاسترخاء - فك (شيء ملفوف)Bengali: আরাম করা - খুলে ফেলাRussian: расслабиться - размотатьJapanese: くつろぐ - 巻きをほどくVietnamese: thư giãn - tháo raKorean: 휴식을 취하다 - 풀다Turkish: rahatlamak - açmakUrdu: آرام کرنا - کھولناIndonesian: bersantai - membuka gulungan
Example Sentences
I like to unwind with a good book.
basic
He needed some time to unwind after his trip.
basic
Could you unwind the rope for me?
basic
It takes me a while to unwind after a stressful week.
natural
Let’s go for a walk and unwind a bit.
natural
She likes to unwind by listening to jazz in the evenings.
natural