open 1 of 3

verb

Definition of opennext
1
as in to unlock
to change from a closed to an open position please open the door to let the cat out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clear
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area when we got too close, the cardinal opened its wings and flew to a higher branch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to free
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way snowplows opened the runway without much trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to begin
to take the first step in (a process or course of action) we will open the proceedings tomorrow with a short ceremony

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

open

2 of 3

adjective

ˈō-pən How to pronounce open (audio)
1
as in cleared
allowing passage without obstruction thank you for clearing out the hallway so that it's open again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in public
freely available for use or participation by all the lanes at the bowling alley will be open during the afternoon, but will be available only for league play in the evening

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vulnerable
being in a situation where one is likely to meet with harm the country's open to invasion if its borders remain unguarded

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in honest
free in expressing one's true feelings and opinions a talkative and open child who tells people more than they want to know

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in exposed
lacking a usual or natural covering open wounds in his legs

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6
as in shared
not known by only a select few the two boxers have an open dislike for each other

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7
as in pending
not yet settled or decided that issue will have to remain open until the supervisor can decide

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8
as in impartial
willing to consider new or different ideas she is always open and ready to listen to anyone's suggestions

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9
as in generous
giving or sharing in abundance and without hesitation he's very open with his opinions, many of which are not welcome

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

open

3 of 3

noun

as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation a daguerreotype of a cowboy whose face is roughened from a hard life in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective open contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of open are exposed, liable, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

When could exposed be used to replace open?

The words exposed and open can be used in similar contexts, but exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

When can liable be used instead of open?

While in some cases nearly identical to open, liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

When would prone be a good substitute for open?

While the synonyms prone and open are close in meaning, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

When might sensitive be a better fit than open?

The words sensitive and open are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

When is subject a more appropriate choice than open?

In some situations, the words subject and open are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

When is it sensible to use susceptible instead of open?

The meanings of susceptible and open largely overlap; however, susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

How does the adjective open contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of open are exposed, liable, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

When could exposed be used to replace open?

The words exposed and open can be used in similar contexts, but exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

When can liable be used instead of open?

While in some cases nearly identical to open, liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

When would prone be a good substitute for open?

While the synonyms prone and open are close in meaning, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

When might sensitive be a better fit than open?

The words sensitive and open are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

When is subject a more appropriate choice than open?

In some situations, the words subject and open are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

When is it sensible to use susceptible instead of open?

The meanings of susceptible and open largely overlap; however, susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

How does the adjective open contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of open are exposed, liable, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

a claim open to question

When could exposed be used to replace open?

The words exposed and open can be used in similar contexts, but exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

exposed to infection

When can liable be used instead of open?

While in some cases nearly identical to open, liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

liable to get lost

When would prone be a good substitute for open?

While the synonyms prone and open are close in meaning, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

prone to delay

When might sensitive be a better fit than open?

The words sensitive and open are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

unduly sensitive to criticism

When is subject a more appropriate choice than open?

In some situations, the words subject and open are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

all reports are subject to review

When is it sensible to use susceptible instead of open?

The meanings of susceptible and open largely overlap; however, susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

very susceptible to flattery

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of open
Verb
Originally opened in 1931 as Bellevue Hospital’s psychiatric ward, the 30th Street Men’s Shelter—inevitably still referred to as Bellevue—became an anchor of New York’s shelter system. —Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 For a project that opens new worlds of previously unheard sounds and unseen images, and that pushes the art of cinema beyond the realm of human perception. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The two venues would still be operated by Live Nation but as open venues where, theoretically, any artist can book using any ticketing option, according to a statement from the company. —Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026 When the weather’s warm, plate up a snack in the open-concept kitchen to take outside—the views of the surroundings fields and forests are unparalleled. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
Keys also addressed suggestions from parents about keeping the Lincoln high school open, including community fundraising. —Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 13 Mar. 2026 In Dumas’ work, fights and duels and brave assaults on prisons are done grandly, out in the open. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for open
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open
  1. unlock
  2. clear
  3. expand
  4. free
  5. begin
  6. cleared
  7. public
  8. vulnerable
Verb
  • This circuit will not give away its secrets easily, but the car is more than capable of unlocking them.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2026
  • In recent years, North Korea’s partnership with Chinese money laundering networks has unlocked a new level of speed and efficiency that North Korean operators had not been able to achieve independently.
    — Lisa Cavazuti, NBC news, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of unlock
Verb
  • Draymond Green returned to the starting lineup after missing the past two games with lower back soreness, while Porzingis and Melton were also cleared to play the second leg of the back-to-back.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • The other two sailors have been cleared to return to duty.
    — Steve Walsh, NPR, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of clear
Verb
  • Other bank expansions in Charlotte Several other banks have been expanding in the Charlotte region, too.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Production plans call for an initial deployment of dozens of units this year, scaling to thousands annually as manufacturing capacity expands.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • Betrayed and with no recourse through legal channels, Yuta is plunged into a single harrowing night fighting through layers of organized crime to free his teenage sister from a trafficking network.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
  • We should be freed of having to have our camera upright all the time.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of free
Verb
  • Richins, wearing a white blouse with pale blue and peach-colored flowers on it, looked down and began breathing heavily when the verdict was announced.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • All three hits came Michael Lorenzen, who Italy manager Francisco Cervelli originally announced as the team’s starter for the semifinal before changing course and having Aaron Nola begin the game on the mound.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
Definition of begin
Adjective
  • Not all pads are alike, but a footprint on the larger side involves five to ten acres of cleared, packed ground that serves as the hub for drilling equipment, which can include wellheads, pump jacks, tanks, wastewater storage pits, trailers, and flare stacks.
    — Alex Heard, Outside, 4 Mar. 2026
  • What counts as a cleared sidewalk?
    — Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 1 Dec. 2025
Definition of cleared
Adjective
  • According to people close to him, the president frequently praises Rubio in both private and public settings, at times casting him as a possible all-time great at the State Department.
    — Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
  • In a rare public tirade against a member of their ranks, leaders insisted that Orbán must respect the 27-nation bloc's decision in December to fund Ukraine's armed forces and strained economy for the next two years.
    — LORNE COOK, Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of public
Adjective
  • But if the jumpers go cold, the Tide will be vulnerable to a first-round upset.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
  • On a typical day, a significant share of oil exports from the Arabian Peninsula depends on just a handful of critical routes and terminals -- making the system highly vulnerable to disruption, according to Matt Smith, the lead oil analyst at energy consultant group Kpler.
    — Victor Ordonez, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of vulnerable

Phrases Containing open

Browse Nearby Words

opaqueness
open
open-air
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Cite this Entry

“Open.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of open for Spanish Speakers

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