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

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.

Father Ignatius has been bottling up and avoiding his grief, providing the perfect opportunity for that grief demon to take hold. —

Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 June 2024 In two of the last three games, CU has bottled up one of the nation’s top rushing attacks (UCF, 177 yards) and harassed one of its most productive passers (Arizona’s Noah Fifita) to the tune of seven sacks, CU’s most since posting eight against Iowa State in 2010. —

Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2024 Rich, warm, sophisticated – Brown Sugar Babe bottled up some of my favorite scents (and a few of their own unique sellers), and put them in fragrance form, offering me the ability to layer my favorite scents for longer-lasting sillage, and for a more affordable price point. —

Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 9 Oct. 2024 Investment long bottled up in idle real estate could flow to more productive pursuits. —

Patrick Chovanec, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011 See all Example Sentences for bottle up