express suggests an impulse to reveal in words, gestures, actions, or what one creates or produces.
expressed her feelings in music
vent stresses a strong inner compulsion to express especially in words.
a tirade venting his frustration
utter implies the use of the voice not necessarily in articulate speech.
utter a groan
voice does not necessarily imply vocal utterance but does imply expression or formulation in words.
an editorial voicing their concerns
broach adds the implication of disclosing for the first time something long thought over or reserved for a suitable occasion.
broached the subject of a divorce
air implies an exposing or parading of one's views often in order to gain relief or sympathy or attention.
publicly airing their differences
Example Sentences
Verb Windows should be opened to vent the fumes. She vented her frustrations by kicking the car. Don't vent your anger on me. I screamed because I needed to vent.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English venten "to provide with an air hole," in part verbal derivative of vent "anus, outlet, vent entry 2," in part short for aventen "to cool (oneself, as by removing a helmet), release, let air out of," borrowed from Anglo-French aventer "to allow to escape, release, fan," probably altered by vowel reduction from Old French esventer "to fan, cool by stirring the air," going back to Vulgar Latin *exventāre, from Latin ex-ex- entry 1 + -ventāre, verbal derivative of ventus "wind" — more at wind entry 1
Noun (1)
Middle English, "anus, outlet," probably borrowed from Anglo-French, "wind, cold air, draft, outlet" (continental Old French, "wind"), going back to Latin ventus "wind" — more at wind entry 1
Noun (2)
Middle English vent, fente, borrowed from Anglo-French fente "split, crack, opening," derivative of fendre "to split" (going back to Latin findere), probaby by analogy with pairs such as rendre "to yield," rente "income" — more at bite entry 1, render entry 1, rent entry 1