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
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Ejiofor plays her dad with reserved power, never letting his own pent-up and unresolved grief over the loss of his wife and her mother surface.
—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
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Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pent-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pent-up. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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