1 C1 idiomatic informal
To allow negative feelings such as worry or resentment to build up slowly without resolution.
"She had been stewing up her frustration for weeks before she finally said something."
separable
stew up
C1 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To cause worry, anxiety, or resentment to build up slowly; or to prepare something by stewing.
In plain English
Let bad feelings like worry or anger build up inside you slowly, like food cooking in a pot.
What does "stew up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To prepare food by slowly cooking it in liquid.
"She stewed up a pot of vegetables to last the whole week."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To cook something slowly in liquid until it becomes a stew.
Actually means
Let bad feelings like worry or anger build up inside you slowly, like food cooking in a pot.
Usage tip
Quite rare. The emotional sense echoes 'stew' meaning to worry or simmer with resentment. More commonly encountered as 'stew (on something)' or 'stew in one's own juices'. The culinary sense (to prepare by stewing) is literal but very uncommon as a phrasal verb.
Words that pair with "stew up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
worry resentment anger anxiety feelings tension
How to conjugate "stew up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
stew up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
stews up
he/she/it
Past simple
stewed up
yesterday
Past participle
stewed up
have + pp
-ing form
stewing up
continuous
Hear "stew up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "stew up"
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