as in key
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal it turned out that a simple "please" was the open sesame for charming the hotel manager into giving us a room with a better view

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
  • Slated to open in early 2028, the property will combine a 63-key hotel with 54 private villas, ranging from two to five bedrooms.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Jonny Greenwood’s score moves between soaring strings and dissonant piano keys, alternately soothing and anxious; a few pieces composed by Jon Brion add an ambient layer of wistfulness.
    Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
  • For October 2025 rides, a standard adult ticket is $93.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Free users, who represent a gateway for future subscriptions, face even stricter limitations.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The typhoon and expected backlogs follow a strong August for China’s top ports, with the Shanghai and Ningbo gateways recording their highest-ever monthly container throughput throughout the month despite the massive trade shifts.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Sep. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open%20sesame. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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