The antonyms for the word "unwinding" are numerous and varied. They include adjectives such as tense, stressed, and anxious; verbs such as wind up, tighten, and contract; and nouns such as pressure, tension, and strain. These words describe the opposite state to unwinding which is to reduce or completely freed from tension, pressure and anxiety. The antonyms of unwinding convey the idea of being constrained or confined, of being kept in a state of tension or stress. They stand in contrast to the idea of letting go, of relaxation, which is associated with the concept of unwinding. In essence, the antonyms underlie how difficult it can be to truly unwind.