: shut up : confined, repressed
a pent crowd
pent-up feelings

Examples of pent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The fact that Walid Husayin attained some level of pseudo-fame in the Arab world attests to a pent up demand for a violation of the norm of ostentatious piety. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 13 Nov. 2010 There’s been a number of launches that are kind of pent up to be launched out of Virginia. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2022 This need not be the case, there is clear evidence of enormous pent up demand for travel across the Atlantic, airlines could mobilise significant capacity at around four weeks’ notice to meet this. John Strickland, Forbes, 7 June 2021 Demand is so pent up that analysts are already seeing bookings going through the roof. Alex Ledsom, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2021 Logistics operators are worried that like 2020, today’s calm will be followed by chaos once lockdowns are lifted and the pent up-stock in factories and warehouses in China turns into a flood of goods bound for the US and Europe. Aurora Almendral, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2022 Ohio’s gambling establishments eked out another record month in March, despite competing with pent up demand from last year. Sean McDonnell, cleveland, 7 Apr. 2022 Some event planners said that after 20-plus months of remote work there is a pent up desire by employees and bosses to gather. Ray A. Smith, WSJ, 7 Dec. 2021 With tight global supply and strong pent up demand worldwide as countries recover from the pandemic, oil prices remain near seven-year highs of around $85 a barrel, with the cost of the U.S. benchmark crude rising around 70% so far this year. Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

probably from past participle of obsolete English pend to confine

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pent was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near pent

Cite this Entry

“Pent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pent. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pent

adjective
: shut up : confined
pent-up feelings

More from Merriam-Webster on pent

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