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

See Examples For:

pent-up

“Others have the desire for ownership and every year the pent-up demand grows among young adults to enter homeownership,” she says.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

Johnson said she believes Agility will have an advantage by going public before other stand-alone humanoid robotics businesses, because of pent-up demand from individual investors looking to put dollars into the industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

The country needs many more single-family homes not only to meet pent-up demand, but to make housing more affordable.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026

The additional 10%, he said, might be “all that pent-up demand,” aided by “a very beautiful and very dry winter,” followed by a mild spring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026

Ahead of us, the caravan lurches out of the way, and the pent-up crowd surges forward.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• repressed
• stifled
• suppressed