pent-up

[pent-uhp] / ˈpɛntˈʌp /

ADJECTIVE

held within

Synonyms

STRONGEST

repressed stifled suppressed

WEAK

bottled-up bridled checked constrained curbed held in check held-back inhibited restrained restricted smothered

Antonyms

WEAK

public released

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.

“Then you’ve got all this pent-up demand from years of pretty high interest rates,” he adds.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

But the country's teeth were in an appalling state after World War Two and pent-up demand was much greater than politicians anticipated.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Further, Macklem said there was notable pent-up demand from consumers coming out of the pandemic, as households had accumulated sizable savings, and craved goods and services not available to them due to social-distancing restrictions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Their solution to kids with pent-up energy wasn’t to head to any park — it was to come to a mall park.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

All the pent-up emotions of a nation weary from four years of war exploded in a paroxysm, nowhere as much as in the war communities leading the home-front effort.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly