bottle up
phrasal verb
bottled up; bottling up; bottles up
: to keep (a feeling or emotion) inside instead of expressing it : to hide (a feeling or emotion)
She's kept her feelings about the accident bottled up for too long.
I know he's angry, but he bottles it up inside instead of talking to someone about it.
Examples of bottle up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This body mist bottles up those adolescent vibes with notes of cotton candy, vanilla, and coconut milk, and lasts longest when sprayed on pulse points.
—
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025
The committee is split 12-10 between Republicans and Democrats, meaning Tillis could single-handedly bottle up a nominee — or at least force Thune to go through the lengthy process of forcing a nomination to the floor.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 12 July 2025
Trump’s recent venture into fragrances isn’t the first time he’s bottled up his persona and offered it on the market.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 2025
In Florida, the tiny town of Micanopy (pronounced Mi-kuh-no-pee) has bottled up the nostalgia of these classic institutions and built a community around the feeling.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottle up
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Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025
The committee is split 12-10 between Republicans and Democrats, meaning Tillis could single-handedly bottle up a nominee — or at least force Thune to go through the lengthy process of forcing a nomination to the floor.
—Al Weaver, The Hill, 12 July 2025
Trump’s recent venture into fragrances isn’t the first time he’s bottled up his persona and offered it on the market.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 2025
In Florida, the tiny town of Micanopy (pronounced Mi-kuh-no-pee) has bottled up the nostalgia of these classic institutions and built a community around the feeling.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottle up
Cite this Entry
“Bottle up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bottle%20up. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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