opening gambit
noun
: a first move
Their opening gambit in the negotiations was to demand a wage hike.
Examples of opening gambit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The variance with accustomed Goodspeed values is apparent from the very first moments, though the opening gambit fails due to an appalling lack of attentiveness from the audience.
—
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Diddy attorney Alexandra Shapiro’s opening gambit invoked lofty ideals about justice.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
The opening gambit is typically a pop-up window with a hack alert, followed by outreach from someone impersonating a government figure, who makes the victim think his or her money is not safe.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2026
The young man is Meursault (Benjamin Voisin), and, in flashback, the film then reveals the chain of circumstance that has led him there, starting with the death of his mother, which was Camus’ original opening gambit.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
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Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026
Diddy attorney Alexandra Shapiro’s opening gambit invoked lofty ideals about justice.
—Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
The opening gambit is typically a pop-up window with a hack alert, followed by outreach from someone impersonating a government figure, who makes the victim think his or her money is not safe.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2026
The young man is Meursault (Benjamin Voisin), and, in flashback, the film then reveals the chain of circumstance that has led him there, starting with the death of his mother, which was Camus’ original opening gambit.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opening gambit
Cite this Entry
“Opening gambit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opening%20gambit. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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