pent-up
adjective
: held or kept inside : not released
The children were full of pent-up energy after the long car ride.
pent-up anger/frustration/enthusiasm/excitement
Examples of pent-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Businesses have more supply but savings have dried up
Last Black Friday and Christmas, consumers had excess savings from the pandemic and pent-up demand to truly celebrate the festivities after various lockdowns.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, businesses, especially those in the sprawling service sector, are benefiting from what still appears to be pent-up demand, likely driven by higher-income earners, after the restrictions of the pandemic.
—Bychristopher Rugaber, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023
For screenwriters, there is also pent-up demand for raises, made worse by climbing inflation.
—Brooks Barnes, BostonGlobe.com, 1 May 2023
Adding to anger over the deaths was pent-up frustration of migrants who have spent weeks trying to make appointments on a U.S. cellphone app to file asylum claims.
—Fabiola Sánchez and Morgan Lee, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2023
Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Terrence J. McGann said Sophia Negroponte had pent-up anger issues that were made worse by her drinking.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2023
For progressives, there is pent-up hope that, after more than a decade, this election may finally free them from minority rule.
—Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2023
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Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, businesses, especially those in the sprawling service sector, are benefiting from what still appears to be pent-up demand, likely driven by higher-income earners, after the restrictions of the pandemic.
—Bychristopher Rugaber, Fortune, 30 Oct. 2023
For screenwriters, there is also pent-up demand for raises, made worse by climbing inflation.
—Brooks Barnes, BostonGlobe.com, 1 May 2023
Adding to anger over the deaths was pent-up frustration of migrants who have spent weeks trying to make appointments on a U.S. cellphone app to file asylum claims.
—Fabiola Sánchez and Morgan Lee, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2023
Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Terrence J. McGann said Sophia Negroponte had pent-up anger issues that were made worse by her drinking.
—Dan Morse, Washington Post, 31 Mar. 2023
For progressives, there is pent-up hope that, after more than a decade, this election may finally free them from minority rule.
—Dan Kaufman, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pent-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pent-up. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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