open the door
idiom
: to make (something) easier or more likely to happen
—often + for or to
Her success opened the door for thousands of young women who wanted to play sports.
His experiences in the army opened the door to a career in politics.
Examples of open the door in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other advocates argued that the hunt could open the door to further destruction of animal habitats in Florida.
—
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
Trump’s authority to combat crime in the District of Columbia by asserting federal control is clearly outlined in law, but certain time and use limitations apply, which could open the door to lawsuits down the line.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
Stauffer also expressed concern that amending this liquor license could open the door for future requests to change other liquor licenses.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025
After months of silence, North Korea finally opened up about talks with President Donald Trump, leaving open the door for positive dialogue but warning against any talks of denuclearization.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for open the door
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
Trump’s authority to combat crime in the District of Columbia by asserting federal control is clearly outlined in law, but certain time and use limitations apply, which could open the door to lawsuits down the line.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
Stauffer also expressed concern that amending this liquor license could open the door for future requests to change other liquor licenses.
—Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2025
After months of silence, North Korea finally opened up about talks with President Donald Trump, leaving open the door for positive dialogue but warning against any talks of denuclearization.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for open the door
Cite this Entry
“Open the door.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20the%20door. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share