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
Some of these families fear that disclosure laws will open the door to recognizing biological donors in some way as parents — possibly granting them parental rights and more broadly undermining the legitimacy of L.G.B.T.Q. families.
—
Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023
Yet some residents argue the district would open the door to water profiteering, claiming the plan would connect local supplies to California water markets, and allow the state to demand transfers during drought emergencies.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2023
One mom said that simply asking about parental leave policies and childcare benefits can open the door to discrimination, while another described how disappointed and unsympathetic coworkers were when juggling both responsibilities slowed her down.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023
To make matters more fraught, spending quality time with your nearest and dearest can open the door for triggering comments about everything from your body to your career to your relationship status.
—Christine Byrne, Mph, SELF, 20 Nov. 2023
Jackson knew that a victory for him could open the door for the others.
—Anat Rubin, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2023
Experts say that drone operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of a remote pilot have the potential to open the door to longer flights, new markets, and fewer restrictions on ground personnel.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2023
Those side effects can open the door to more problems, including a prescription to stronger drugs, which raises the risk of addiction and death.
—Tony Holt, Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2023
As Daines went to open the door to let Axel outside, the dog went in the opposite direction, sitting in front of the bedroom door of Amanda’s 17-year-old son Gabriel Silva and refusing to move.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
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Emily Bazelon, New York Times, 3 Dec. 2023
Yet some residents argue the district would open the door to water profiteering, claiming the plan would connect local supplies to California water markets, and allow the state to demand transfers during drought emergencies.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2023
One mom said that simply asking about parental leave policies and childcare benefits can open the door to discrimination, while another described how disappointed and unsympathetic coworkers were when juggling both responsibilities slowed her down.
—Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 28 Nov. 2023
To make matters more fraught, spending quality time with your nearest and dearest can open the door for triggering comments about everything from your body to your career to your relationship status.
—Christine Byrne, Mph, SELF, 20 Nov. 2023
Jackson knew that a victory for him could open the door for the others.
—Anat Rubin, ProPublica, 4 Nov. 2023
Experts say that drone operations beyond the visual line of sight (BVLOS) of a remote pilot have the potential to open the door to longer flights, new markets, and fewer restrictions on ground personnel.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2023
Those side effects can open the door to more problems, including a prescription to stronger drugs, which raises the risk of addiction and death.
—Tony Holt, Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2023
As Daines went to open the door to let Axel outside, the dog went in the opposite direction, sitting in front of the bedroom door of Amanda’s 17-year-old son Gabriel Silva and refusing to move.
—Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'open the door.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near 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 7 Dec. 2023.
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