pent-up

[ pent-uhp ]

adjective

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

   pent-up emotions;

   pent-up rage.

   Synonyms: suppressed, repressed, confined

pent-up

adjective

1. not released; repressed

   pent-up emotions

2. kept unwillingly

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pent-up¹

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

Example Sentences

“There is this pent-up demand among scientists for what is essentially the old Twitter,” Young says.

From Science Magazine

Their flare systems alone are permitted to torch flammable gases and emit tens of thousands of pounds of noxious sulfur dioxide emissions to avoid pent-up pressure during oil refining.

From Los Angeles Times

On top of that, you had the George Floyd protests, where all of this pent-up anger and frustration poured out onto the streets.

From Salon

But this refusal to believe the pent-up release of joy is real has become a talking point throughout MAGA.

From Salon

But to me, Michelle’s words felt like the release of a valve of pent-up frustration and unspoken truths.

From Salon

Related Words

• repressed
• stifled
• suppressed

More About Pent-up

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.

Where does pent-up come from?

The first records of the term pent-up come from the early 1700s. It combines the adjective pent, meaning “contained or confined,” and the term up.

Usually, pent-up refers to emotional pressure or mental confinement. It comes from literal uses, such as describing pent-up gasses, liquids, or substances that might burst from their confinement. For example, if too much water is let into a dam’s well, the pent-up water can cause damage unless it is let out the other side.

Pent-up usually refers to negative emotions such as sadness or rage because people often avoid dealing with those feelings, so they stay with us. Connected to this figurative use of pent-up is the term vent. Pressure can literally be released using a vent, while figuratively, emotions can be released by venting, that is, sharing them with other people or otherwise expressing them.

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for pent-up?

• confined
• constrained
• repressed
• stifled
• suppressed

What are some words that share a root or word element with pent-up? 

• pen
• pent
• up

What are some words that often get used in discussing pent-up?

• anger
• emotion
• gas
• pressure

How is pent-up used in real life?  

Pent-up is usually associated with negative emotions or negative results from pressure buildup.

Difficult night's sleep; waking early and feeling pent-up; anybody would think there was a big game on today.

— Brian Moore (@brianmoore666) February 23, 2019

Project landed.

Run in terror at the pent-up Tweetrage.

— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 26, 2017

Seismologists have long feared a so-called “big one” in Western Nepal, where there is pent-up pressure from grinding tectonic plates. 1/2

— Ellen Barry (@EllenBarryNYT) April 25, 2015

 

 

Try using pent-up!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for pent-up?

A. repressed
B. released
C. stifled
D. suppressed