vent
/vent/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To express strong feelings, especially anger or frustration, by speaking or writing about them. It often means letting out emotions in a safe way.
- She vented her frustration to a friend.
- He needed to vent after the meeting.
noun
An opening that lets air, smoke, gas, or liquid move out of a space. It can also mean a small opening for release.
- The room has a vent near the ceiling.
- Smoke came out through the vent.
Adinary Nuance
Vent is more emotional and temporary than complain. You vent to release feelings; you complain to show something is wrong. It is also different from speak out, which means to express an opinion publicly, often about an issue or injustice.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- trút giận
- Spanish
- desahogarse
- Chinese
- 发泄
- Japanese
- 吐き出す
- Korean
- 풀어놓다
Etymology
Vent comes from French and Latin roots meaning “to sell” and “to let out,” but English took the word through the idea of opening or release. The emotional sense became common later, especially in modern English.
Common phrases
vent your angervent your frustrationair ventsvent the room
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is vent formal or informal?
- The verb is usually informal in everyday speech. It is common in conversation and online writing.
- What is the difference between vent and complain?
- Vent means to release feelings. Complain means to say that something is bad or unfair.
- Can vent be used in academic writing?
- The verb is usually too informal for academic writing. The noun for air openings is more acceptable in technical contexts.
- How do I use vent in a sentence?
- You can say, “I need to vent,” or “She vented about her day.”