Meaning & use
pent-up demand
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountablebusinessfinance
Strong demand for goods or services that builds up when normal buying is blocked and is released when conditions improve.
Grammar: Used as a singular noun; no plural form. Often appears with 'release' or 'unleash'.
Patterns
- pent-up demand for something
- release pent-up demand
- unleash pent-up demand
After the lockdown, there was pent-up demand for travel and dining out.
The company expects pent-up demand to boost sales in the second half of the year.
Economists warned that pent-up demand could lead to higher prices.
Common combinations
- pent-up demand for
- There is pent-up demand for new cars after the shortage.
- release pent-up demand
- Lower prices released pent-up demand among consumers.
- pent-up demand builds
- Pent-up demand built up during the months of closure.
Synonyms and how they differ
- suppressed demand
- Similar meaning, but often used in technical economic contexts.
- deferred demand
- Focuses on demand that is postponed rather than emotionally held back.
Commonly confused: pent-up demand or pent-up emotion?
pent-up demand vs pent-up emotion
The phrase 'pent-up' also describes feelings that are kept inside and not expressed, but 'pent-up demand' is specifically about economic demand.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pent-up demand' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Pent-up demand refers to demand that builds up when buying is restricted, then is released—like after a lockdown. Option An is wrong because a closing sale is not about blocked demand; option C confuses it with emotions; option D is the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pent-up demand”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.