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
For much of the Ukraine war, Russia has been bottled up in its Black Sea near waters, with the only avenue for projecting its naval power coming through access to Africa and Indian Ocean far waters – and only then as a junior partner with China, which dictates the terms and conditions.
—
Colin Flint, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
Vanessa Nygaard recognized that rare bit of frustration, bottled up within.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025
These fragrances aren’t just scents—they’re full-on personalities, moods, and memories bottled up into the prettiest packaging imaginable.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 13 Dec. 2024
Just as pressure may need to be released, not bottled up.
—arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bottle up
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Colin Flint, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2025
Vanessa Nygaard recognized that rare bit of frustration, bottled up within.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2025
These fragrances aren’t just scents—they’re full-on personalities, moods, and memories bottled up into the prettiest packaging imaginable.
—Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 13 Dec. 2024
Just as pressure may need to be released, not bottled up.
—arkansasonline.com, 1 Mar. 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 10 Apr. 2025.
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