open mic

noun

variants or less commonly open mike
: an event in which amateurs may perform (as at a comedy club) usually without auditioning first

Examples of open mic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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As Tiffany, Brittany Bradford can turn on a dime from hilarious (in her college open mic-night debut) to callous and cold. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Karla Cordero is a Chicana educator whose work lives in our borderlands and bridges community into artistry by curating open mics and an online poetry journal. Yesika Salgado, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026 Sometimes, one of the most entertaining parts of a performance is the audience — especially when the show has shimmied and elbowed its way up from open mics and crowded basements, gathering good will along the way. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026 Every Friday, local musicians play for tips and there’s an open mic twice a month. Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for open mic

Word History

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of open mic was in 1978

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Cite this Entry

“Open mic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20mic. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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