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
The same store-by-store rules could apply on similar public shopping streets such as Miracle Mile in Coral Gables and Flagler Street in Miami — with open carry weapons allowed on public sidewalks but not inside private businesses.
—Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Weeks later, on Sept. 25, Florida put its statewide open carry policy into effect.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025
That is not to say that open carry is absolute or immune from reasonable regulation.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Thirty-eight states do not regulate the open carry of guns, which means they can be worn on the hip or slung across the back.
—John Feinblatt, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open carry
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Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Weeks later, on Sept. 25, Florida put its statewide open carry policy into effect.
—Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 9 Oct. 2025
That is not to say that open carry is absolute or immune from reasonable regulation.
—Max Rego, The Hill, 16 Sep. 2025
Thirty-eight states do not regulate the open carry of guns, which means they can be worn on the hip or slung across the back.
—John Feinblatt, Time, 12 Sep. 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 24 Oct. 2025.
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