open up

verb

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opened up; opening up; opens up

Definition of open up

transitive verb

1 : to make available or possible The discovery opens up the possibility of new cures.

2 : to make plain or visible : disclose

3 : to open by cutting into

intransitive verb

1 : to become available or possible The hostess will let us know when a table opens up.

2 : to spread out or come into view The road opens up ahead.

3 : to commence firing

4 : to become communicative tried to get the patient to open up

Examples of open up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Coveted reservations open up three weeks to the day in advance, and if dinner isn't possible, making a trip for lunch is highly suggested. — Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 17 June 2022 How to create a Secure Folder To set this up on your Samsung device, open up the Settings App and then select Biometrics and security. — Yoni Heisler, BGR, 16 June 2022 Within hours of an American mass shooting, as tragic reports blaze across the nation, sympathetic Americans open up their wallets and send money to help. — Tom Jackman, Washington Post, 16 June 2022 As the skies open up, five golfers who shot even-par 72 compete in a playoff for the remaining four spots. — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 10 June 2022 Who knows, China might suddenly open up and invite a release, or Marvel might release a new trailer revealing some of those surprise superhero appearances in the film that leads to a final surge of attendance. — Mark Hughes, Forbes, 9 June 2022 In this new series, musicians open up about the issues that are important to them and their community. — Jessica Boudreaux, SPIN, 2 June 2022 The medical field expects doctors to be resilient in the wrong way: Be strong, don’t open up, keep it to yourself. — Mike Kessler, Men's Health, 25 May 2022 Suddenly, two holes open up on the floor in front of it, as seen on his phone, and two silver avatars rise from beneath the floor. — Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'open up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.