Bottle up

Pro Tip 1/3

Emotional Health

Bottling up emotions long-term might suggest that a character or person may not be emotionally healthy.

He never talked about his feelings, always bottling up his distress.

Pro Tip 2/3

Reveal Tension

'Bottle up' can foreshadow a dramatic emotional release or breakdown later in a story.

She bottled up her sadness, but her friends feared she might eventually explode.

Pro Tip 3/3

Non-literal Use

Used metaphorically to describe emotions, not physically restraining something.

Despite the frustration, he bottled up his urge to yell.