pent-up

American  

[pent-uhp] / ˈpɛntˈʌp /

adjective

1. not vented or expressed; held inside; restrained; curbed.

   pent-up emotions;

   pent-up rage.

   Synonyms:

   suppressed, repressed, confined

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pent-up British  

adjective

1. not released; repressed

   pent-up emotions

2. kept unwillingly

   I've been pent up in this office for over a year

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Usage

What does pent-up mean? Pent-up is used to describe something that is repressed or not expressed, such as feelings, as in Tina had a lot of pent-up anger over her parents’ divorce that she did not know how to express. Pent-up also describes something that has not been vented, like a gas, which causes pressure to build, as in Tremors release pent-up energy beneath the earth’s crust. Example: All this pent-up anger is bad for your mental health.

Etymology

Origin of pent-up

First recorded in 1705–15; adjective use of verb phrase pent up

Explanation

If something's pent-up, it's restricted or held back in some way. You might appear calm and collected, but if you've secretly got a lot of pent-up anger, it will eventually need to be released. Boom! Use the adjective pent-up when you're talking about repressed emotions or stifled feelings or impulses. You and your friend might attempt to remain solemn through a pompous speaker's terrible lecture, only to burst out with pent-up laughter as soon as the talk is over. Many people keep negative feelings (like sadness, anger, or frustration) pent-up when they're not comfortable revealing them.

Example Sentences

Douglas says there is something about the "repetitive beat" and everyone "gathering to release some pent-up energy" which feels like a way to connect to our ancestral roots.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

“It kind of siphoned all of that pent-up, closeted stuff that you hold back, that you couldn’t freely express,” she said.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Their unpermitted April 2021 show at Lafayette Park in Westlake, publicized through social media and word of mouth, drew thousands of pent-up punks and kids looking for somewhere to go during the shutdown.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

“There was a kind of pent-up demand for a modicum of good news,” said Phil Blancato, chief market strategist at Osaic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Yelling at Rosa had felt amazing, like releasing a thousand years of pent-up steam, but her body was still shaking from it.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

Related Words

• repressed
• stifled
• suppressed