open carry
noun
US
: the act or practice of carrying a firearm openly in public or the legal right to do so
In Pennsylvania, open carry is generally allowed without a license, but Philadelphia does require a license.—
Joshua Gillin
Joshua GillinThe next frontier for gun-rights advocates is "open carry," epitomized last year by protests in which permitted gun owners carried firearms in plain view at Starbucks coffee shops.—Patrik Jonsson
Patrik JonssonThree more states ban concealed carry but not open carry.—Hank Johnson and Mitch Seabaugh
—often used before another nounHank Johnson and Mitch Seabaughopen carry laws/legislation
compare concealed carry
Examples of open carry in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Adding to the urgency for more electronic eyes on the road, said Shepard, is the First District Court of Appeal’s ruling earlier this year that the state’s ban on open carry of firearms is unconstitutional.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
In my view, the convergence of stand your ground, open carry and national reciprocity marks the culmination of a 20-year experiment in armed citizenship.
—Caroline Light, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025
Also Monday, the committee discussed other states’ open carry policies, heard from a firm that is working on a third-party review of the Capitol’s security and discussed whether lawmakers should be practicing active shooter drills in their chambers.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 2025
Weeks later, on Sept. 25, Florida put its statewide open carry policy into effect.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open carry
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David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
In my view, the convergence of stand your ground, open carry and national reciprocity marks the culmination of a 20-year experiment in armed citizenship.
—Caroline Light, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025
Also Monday, the committee discussed other states’ open carry policies, heard from a firm that is working on a third-party review of the Capitol’s security and discussed whether lawmakers should be practicing active shooter drills in their chambers.
—Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 28 Oct. 2025
Weeks later, on Sept. 25, Florida put its statewide open carry policy into effect.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open carry
Cite this Entry
“Open carry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20carry. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.
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