open the floodgates
idiom
: to remove something serving to restrain an outburst
Many people fear that the court's latest ruling will open the floodgates for/to a host of new lawsuits.
Examples of open the floodgates in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But in the past 18 months, permissive NCAA eligibility rulings, opportunistic agents and rising pools of name, image and likeness money have combined to open the floodgates.
—
Cj Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Lake Buchanan reached full capacity this week, prompting Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) officials to open the floodgates at Buchanan Dam for the first time since 2019 to release water from the reservoir.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
The court's decision in the campaign finance dispute could open the floodgates for coordinated spending into the 2026 midterms elections.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 30 June 2025
The Supreme Court decision is expected to open the floodgates for many individual claims to be brought before lower courts over third-country deportation orders.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 June 2025
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Cj Moore, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Lake Buchanan reached full capacity this week, prompting Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) officials to open the floodgates at Buchanan Dam for the first time since 2019 to release water from the reservoir.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
The court's decision in the campaign finance dispute could open the floodgates for coordinated spending into the 2026 midterms elections.
—Devin Dwyer, ABC News, 30 June 2025
The Supreme Court decision is expected to open the floodgates for many individual claims to be brought before lower courts over third-country deportation orders.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for open the floodgates
Cite this Entry
“Open the floodgates.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20the%20floodgates. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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