ˈōp-niŋ
1
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place
the talk show host's usual modus operandi is to talk over his guests, thereby denying them an opening to articulate their positions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in aperture
a place in a surface allowing passage into or through a thing
an opening in the roof is letting rain drip inside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
the rabbit found a little opening in the bushes and darted through
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in unlocking
to change from a closed to an open position
please open the door to let the cat out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clearing
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions
we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in expanding
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
when we got too close, the cardinal opened its wings and flew to a higher branch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in freeing
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way
snowplows opened the runway without much trouble
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in beginning
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
we will open the proceedings tomorrow with a short ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in initial
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of opening
David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
For instance, by happenstance, on the opening day of IBC filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) began continuously projecting Occupied City, his 32-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam on the outside walls of the Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ most distinguished museum.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Jim Edwards, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
The tentative opening is this fall, but is tentative based on the progress of construction.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
After all, Ballmer has been spending freely, last year opening the $2 billion Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opening
Noun
All of that is just the opening salvo of the film, delivered with breakneck assurance by Anderson.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
For instance, by happenstance, on the opening day of IBC filmmaker Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) began continuously projecting Occupied City, his 32-hour documentary about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam on the outside walls of the Rijksmuseum, the Netherlands’ most distinguished museum.
—David Bloom, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Prior to the opening of the market in New York, S&P 500 futures are down more than a full percentage point.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
The tentative opening is this fall, but is tentative based on the progress of construction.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
In a viral TikTok video shared on Saturday under the username @personalityhire__, the poster’s cat, Paya, can be seen sitting quietly in the bathtub, opening his mouth to drink as his owner sprays him with the shower head right in the face.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
After all, Ballmer has been spending freely, last year opening the $2 billion Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opening
Noun
-
In all those cases, the fund may lack the capital for seizing the opportunity.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
-
The opportunities are limitless.—
Lucy Handley,
CNBC,
1 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Capella Space, Umbra, and ICEYE provide synthetic aperture radar satellites commercially—another improbability is that there is not just one but multiple commercial SAR companies in the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
At its center, the lens scores in the outstanding range at its maximum aperture (5,700 lines), though its edges and corners aren't as clear and bring the average score down into the excellent range for a 60MP chip (4,400 lines).—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Developers now look for weak spots before hackers can find them, closing gaps with regular updates and smarter monitoring.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Skipper answered her three highest priority areas going forward post-speech, listing the district’s achievement and opportunity gap, accessibility, and early childhood opportunities.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Features like full-color displays, dual smart unlocking options, and the shocfree™ suspension system help make every ride smoother, safer, and more intuitive—freeing riders from the stress of traffic and unreliable public transit.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Using a digital wristband, visitors can personalize their journey by selecting a Hogwarts house and unlocking interactive moments along the way.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Kamala Harris is clearing the air about her desire to appear on Joe Rogan's popular podcast.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Jamaica works to deliver food, clear roads Jamaican officials said on Friday its works department had made progress on clearing key roads to allow first responders to access communities hit by Melissa.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2025, Ohtani is likely to earn another MVP award, adding to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Environmental advocates question the need for expanding fossil fuel resources a time when greenhouse gases from those fuels are worsening climate change.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In 2022, Fox Weather had reported that United Airlines would abandon its request for passengers to open window shades upon landing after quietly beginning to encourage it in 2020.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
-
That has led to Adebayo beginning this season with fewer shots coming from around the rim and significantly more shots coming from three-point range.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
His initial coping mechanism was to throw his water bottle in frustration.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The items collect dust, and the space is rarely revisited after the initial setup until the holidays come around.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opening. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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