vent
1 Americannoun
-
an opening, as in a wall, serving as an outlet for air, smoke, fumes, or the like.
-
an opening at the earth's surface from which volcanic material, as lava, steam, or gas, is emitted.
-
Zoology. the anal or excretory opening of animals, especially of those below mammals, as birds and reptiles.
-
the small opening at the breech of a gun by which fire is communicated to the charge.
-
a means of exit or escape; an outlet, as from confinement.
-
expression; utterance; release.
to give vent to one's emotions.
-
Obsolete. the act or fact of venting; emission or discharge.
verb (used with object)
-
vents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vented,
past participle, past
-
venting
present participle
-
to give free play or expression to (an emotion, passion, etc.).
to vent rage.
-
to give public utterance to.
to vent one's opinions.
-
to relieve by giving expression to something.
He vented his disappointment by criticizing his successor.
-
to release or discharge (liquid, smoke, etc.).
-
to furnish or provide with a vent or vents.
verb (used without object)
-
vents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
vented,
past participle, past
-
venting
present participle
-
to be relieved of pressure or discharged by means of a vent.
-
(of an otter or other animal) to rise to the surface of the water to breathe.
noun
noun
-
a small opening for the passage or escape of fumes, liquids, etc
-
the shaft of a volcano or an aperture in the earth's crust through which lava and gases erupt
-
the external opening of the urinary or genital systems of lower vertebrates
-
a small aperture at the breech of old guns through which the charge was ignited
-
an exit, escape, or passage
-
to release (an emotion, passion, idea, etc) in an utterance or outburst
verb
-
to release or give expression or utterance to (an emotion, idea, etc)
he vents his anger on his wife
-
to provide a vent for or make vents in
-
to let out (steam, liquid, etc) through a vent
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
ventsimple
-
ventssimple
-
have ventedperfect
-
has ventedperfect
-
am ventingprogressive
-
are ventingprogressive
-
is ventingprogressive
-
have been ventingperfect progressive
-
has been ventingperfect progressive
Past
-
ventedsimple
-
had ventedperfect
-
was ventingprogressive
-
were ventingprogressive
-
had been ventingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of vent1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb venten “to furnish (a vessel) with a vent,” by shortening of Old French esventer (equivalent to es- + -venter, verbal derivative of vent, from Latin ventus “wind”), in later use derivative of the English noun; the noun derives partly from French vent, partly by shortening of French évent ( Old French esvent, derivative of esventer ), and partly derivative of the English verb; see ex- 1, wind 1
Origin of vent2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English vent(e); replacing Middle English fente, from Old French or Middle French, derivative of fendre “to slit,” from Latin findere “to split”
Explanation
When you vent, you let something out, whether it's hot air or your feelings. If you vent your feelings, you let out a strong and sometimes angry emotion and just say what you think. You might vent your rage when your brother once again gets out of doing his chores. You also might vent something to air it out. If it's too hot inside your car, vent it by opening a window. The noun vent refers to a hole that lets air escape. A clothes dryer has a vent that sends hot air outside. A vent in nature is a crack in the earth's surface that lets hot gas and lava escape — like a volcano.
Vocabulary lists containing vent
Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Ventus and Venire
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Ten Freaky Forces of Nature"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Some drillers flare or vent gas, meaning they burn it at the wellhead or simply release it into the atmosphere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The volcano could build a tuff cone with a long lived vent crater, or the new land could quickly collapse and erode away.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026
Disgruntled tourists and locals have taken to social media to vent about the disruption to fuel supplies.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
I typically don’t vent on styling, on the grounds that everything has to look like something.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
Before workers could add water to reactor 1, they would have to vent the reactor, releasing steam to lower the pressure.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
One possible answer involves palladium, a metal that occurs naturally in hydrothermal vents and has been known to chemists as an effective catalyst for roughly a century.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
It was built with an air-to-air heat pump that cools the building, and vents to let hot air escape.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Detainees alleged they routinely wiped black mold off shower walls at the facility, saw black dust spew from air vents and used cleaning solutions that lacked instructions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
“Small issues like dirty filters, blocked vents or restricted airflow can become bigger problems when the system is running constantly,” Shavers said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
The delicious smell of grilling burgers marches through her heater vents.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
Residents in the worst affected areas have vented their frustrations by setting piles on trash on fire or banging on pots and pans.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
On Monday night, he vented his own frustration over the fair’s failure through his typical defensive bluster.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Unwanted gas can be burned, releasing carbon dioxide, or even simply vented.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly vented his frustration that allied nations were unwilling to help escort ships through the waterway.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
I vented pure oxygen at the stick and gave it a spark.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
As his father reminds John during a venting session that occurs after Hal nonchalantly almost kills him, “They’re allowed to have tantrums. We’re not.”
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
They are simply plugged into the nearest socket and work by drawing in warm air, cooling it, and venting heat outside through a window via a pipe or ducting.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Mostly, these conversations, when not venting about the disruption to bus schedules and the noisiness of bomber jet flyovers, focus on the absolute failure of the fair.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
Because he has asthma, he chose to demolish the entire venting and duct system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
Chief steward Thorpe came in at the same time, venting his rage.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
